


Legacy

by Ikajo



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon What Canon, Eventually Loki/Bucky, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family, Gen, Gods, Good Loki (Marvel), Implied Mpreg, Loki is a GOD, M/M, Magic, Motherhenning, Mpreg, Past Relationship(s), Plot is secret, Pregnancy, Revelations, The Avengers Are Good Bros, Torture, Violence, past pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:13:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 66
Words: 93,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27688769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ikajo/pseuds/Ikajo
Summary: There are a few things in the universe that is a constant:Forgetting at least one thing while shopping.The mysterious disappearance of socks.Gods having children with mortals.When Loki is stolen from his cell is sparks a cascade of events that changes everything and what is discovered is beyond anything could have anticipated. Both the good things and the bad things.
Relationships: Loki & Avengers Team, Loki/others
Comments: 398
Kudos: 226





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the violence depicted in this story occurs in the _beginning_ and should be kept in mind when reading.

No one escaped from Thanos without dire consequences. That was a well known fact in the Sanctuary. Nor was failure ever allowed and forgiven. Yet someone had done just that. The Asgardian prince had somehow managed to break through the hold of the Mind Stone, caused the invasion to fail. Loosing two Infinity Stones in the process. To punish him the Mad Titan called on three sisters, their abilities was useless when trying to achieve the great Balancing. But for the purposes of punishing a traitor? They were perfect.

* * *

Loki had been in his cell for barely six months when someone broke into the dungeons and took him away from it. From the destruction left behind the Trickster had not gone with them willingly. No matter how much Thor wished to go find his brother the Bifrost was still broken and Odin lacked the strength needed to gather enough dark energy to send him.

By using the natural magic inherent in the dark god the sisters brought him to Midgard. The sudden surge of energy naturally alerted the Avengers who hurried to its location. 

* * *

The first ones to reach the epicentre of the surge were Steve and Tony with others not far behind. Being a weekday in Central Park it meant that it was blessedly empty of civilians. Despite his enhanced eyesight the super soldier had his limitations. Meaning it was the billionaire who first found the reason behind their sudden summon. 

" _Shit_ ", came across the comms. " _Guys, that's Loki!_ "

" _Loki? As in bag of cats Lok_ i", Banner said nervously.

" _That's the one. And he has brought company_."

"Everyone, converge on Loki. Don't let hi... uff!" Stumbling backwards Steve rubbed his nose. He felt like he had ran into something very hard but there was nothing in front of him.

" _You okay there, Cap?_ "

"I can't get any closer. There is some kind of barrier."

" _Hang on. Okay, according to my scans it is some kind of dome made out of energy. I'm coming to you, Cap._ " The Iron Man suit landed next to the blond and soon after the rest of Avengers caught up with them. Inside the dome Loki stood with three women.

"Seems like they are all gathered", one woman said.

"The heroes of Terra", a second woman said.

"Let's get started then", the third said and the air in the dome shimmered. Changing the scene. The soldier sucked in a breath.

The tallest of the women had a tight grip on the god's black hair who had been forced down on his knees. There was blood in the corner of his mouth and his face was drawn in pain. Another shimmer caused some kind of wall to appear out of thin air. With a swift movement the Trickster was slammed against the metal wall and restraints locked around his wrists and ankles.

"Oookay", Tony said. "Something tells me they are not friends..."

"You think?" Barton said hoarsely, staring at the scene in front of them. One woman turned to them, her smile full of venom. 

"Do you see your audience", she said. Her words had to be meant for Loki who blinked and eyed the humans warily. "These are the ones you fought against and lost."

"You know what Thanos thinks of failure", one sang. "Shall we show these humans how he and the Chitauri convinced you in the first place?"

"Little, little prince", the third said mockingly. "Cast out and alone. Even god's can bleed."

"You have nothing to gain from me", the god wheezed. "I have nothing you want."

"Not true", the first one smirked. "We still want pain and suffering."

A blade flickered in the light before sinking into flesh. Steve stared in shock. Loki's shoulder had been stabbed, blood was running from the wound. More rushed out when the knife was pulled out. Even so the god said nothing. Just panted harshly. The knife was driven into his other shoulder, causing him to grunt.

"Is that all?" he mocked the women. "You lack imagination."

"Oh no", the second one sang. "This is just the beginning."

Tony cursed and started banging at the barrier, alternating with his repulsors. Especially when all three closed in on the Trickster. Bringing out more instruments of torture. 

"What are you doing?" Barton demanded.

"They said that this is what made Loki attack in the first place", the engineer growled. "He was tortured and forced into coming here. He was innocent!"

The soldier felt his mind become blank for a moment before raising his shield and attempting to hack away at the dome. Keeping his eyes on the scene in front of him. And it was horrifying. 

Blades kept making cuts, both shallow and deep. Hot irons was pressed to the sensitive skin on the insides of the knees and elbows, causing the god to let out his first scream. Yet the women only laughed. One did something to the metal wall, table or whatever it was. Even from a distance Steve could see the air react, bending from heat. A sledgehammer was brought out and the sickening sound of crushed bones echoed in the almost empty park.

Freezing both the blond and the brunett couldn't help but stare in horror. Blood spewed from the now bruised mouth as the sledgehammer was slammed into Loki's stomach. Green eyes dull with pain. None of the Avengers could find enough air to breathe. Even Banner was to shocked and horrified for Hulk to come out. All they could do was watch helpless while an innocent man was tortured in front of their eyes.

It only stopped when the Trickster stopped responding, his head hanging limply. The women made a disappointed sound before just disappearing. Taking everything except the broken god with them. The second the barrier fell Steve flew forward but he was still too late to reach Loki before he had collided with the ground. Blood rushing from his body at an alarming rate. While the soldier was the first to reach the severely wounded god Banner was the second. He took one look at the injuries before starting to issue orders.

"Steve, you need to carry him to the quinjet. Clint, Natasha, run ahead and prepare for take off. Tony you need to take me back to the Tower. Alert the medical team while you are at it", he glared at them when they didn't move immediately. "Hurry up, people! Loki is literally on the ground, dying."

Trying to ignore the feeling of shattered, moving bones together with way too much blood the soldier carefully lifted the dying god into his arms. Running to the jet. It was a terrifying flight, no matter how short it was. The body in his arms struggling to stay alive.

Natasha's skills as a pilot came to good use as she expertly turned the quinjet and opened the back hatch. Allowing the blond to get out with his burden faster than if she would have landed properly first. Jarvis guided him down to the medical floor where Banner waited with a gurney. A team of medical staff stood ready as well.

"Place him here! Careful!" the scientist called as Steve placed Loki on the bed. Watching as they rolled him away. That's when he spotted Tony standing to the side. Face pale and vacant. 

"Hey, you okay?" he asked his friend. The engineer looked up at him, some of the vacancy fading. 

"No. No, I'm not fucking okay", the shorter man spat. "I just had to watch a man being brutally tortured after learning that he was never at fault. So, no. I'm definitely _not_ okay."

"Easy, Tony. All of us feel the same way."

"Really? You think SHIELD will care? You think Fury will? He will call it all a trick and lecture us for not just killing the guy ourselves. People will be baying for his blood. As if he has any to spare." The last was a hysteric laugh. "Are we bad people? For not realising something was wrong when he invaded?"

"No", Steve said with conviction. "There is now way we could have known something was wrong."

"The same can't be said for Thor though", came Natasha's voice. "He should have known his own brother better."

"He did look like he had been through the twelve cycles of hell when he came out of the portal", Barton said. There was a haunted look on his face. One that was mirrored on all of them. "Fuck... it was easier to just hate the guy..."

They found the room where doctors were frantically trying to save the life of the god of mischief. It was obvious that they were fighting against both time and the odds. Steve tightened his fists. He really hoped Loki would pull through. 


	2. Chapter 2

The first time Odin brought him to Midgard he was in his teens. It would be one of the few times his father would make time for him alone. They had been standing on a small hill overlooking a mortal village. There had been perhaps two handfuls of houses with people milling about. He had been told that while it was Asgard's duty to protect all the Nine Realms mortal lives were inconsequential. Short and fragile as they were. There was nothing stopping him from playing with those beneath the gods as long as he didn't cause too much of a disturbance. 

At the time he had not even thought to ask why there was such a difference between gods and mortals. Odin had spoken and his words were law.

* * *

There were so many different machines. All of them constantly monitoring the broken body laying on the hospital bed. Loki was swatted in bandages, casts and whatever else had been used in an attempt to keep him alive. For the last couple of weeks Tony had barely left the medical floor. His eyes often wandering to the tube that went down the pale throat, providing air. Always listening to the steady beeping that told him that the god was alive.

"Hey", Bruce said and joined him. The scientist was the only Avenger who went inside the room. Otherwise only doctors and nurses were allowed and there was only at least one of each present. Just in case. "He is doing better you know."

"How is that doing better?" the engineer gestured to the comatose Trickster. 

"He is healing. At a rate even Steve can't achieve. Considering the severity of Loki's injuries, he is doing great. The chances of him making a complete recovery is high."

"Then what?"

"...I don't know."

It was only pure luck that the park had been nearly empty. With too few witnesses to spread the word of what had happened. True, there was a recording. Made from Tony's helmet. Both Natasha and Clint were using that footage to convince Fury that not only was the god innocent, he needed sanctuary. Not that any of the Avengers believed they could actually protect him. So far it had not done much. Except making the pirate angry at them. Steve was working on the public, using his persona of Captain America. Trying to sway public opinion his Loki's favour. 

"We are not sending him back!" Tony bit out. Asgard was on the naughty list. Because it was true, Thor should have seen that something was wrong. How long had they been brothers? For years and years. Centuries even.

" _Sirs_ ", Jarvis spoke up. " _Agent Romanoff is requesting your presence in the conference room on the 67th floor._ "

"Got it, thanks Jarv. Shall we Doctor?"

"Sure."

The rest was already there when they arrived. No one asked where they had been. They all knew. Tony wasn't the only one visiting the medical floor regularly. Natasha stood at the head of the table, holding a folder. Her expression was calm but tight. She waited until the two men had sat down.

"Loki had been granted temporary asylum", she said and put down the folder. Opening it and pulling out some pictures. "Agent Fitz gave these to me. They are from the two times Loki was on the helicarrier. Before New York and after New York. Noticing anything?"

The pictures were passed around. Everyone staring at them, frowning. Taking them the engineer scrutinised them when something caught his attention.

"His eye colour", he breathed. "It is different."

"Different?" Steve said, suddenly tense. "Different how?"

"It is subtle but when we had captured him in Germany they were a muted blue. After the Battle, his eyes are green."

Barton snatched the photos and glared at them. "It is not the same blue as those he mind controlled", he said. The whole situation was difficult for him even if he agreed that the god was basically innocent. Knowing and handling wasn't always the same thing.

"Maybe it was more subtle?" Bruce suggested. "Those women said he was convinced through torture. What if it also involved brainwashing? We were affected by the Sceptre even though we barely interacted with it. Maybe it affected him in a similar way, for a longer period of time, in addition to torture."

Thumbing a photo Tony pondered the idea. "Jarvis, pull up footage from the Tower. From when I talked to him and when we apprehended him." Two holographic screens appeared, playing the footage side by side. "Stop them there, zoom in on his face." It was more visible on his screens. Blue before, green after. But why?

" _If I may, sir? According to my analysis of the available footage Mr. Loki's eye colour changed after his encounter with the Hulk._ "

Natasha snapped her fingers. "Cognitive recalibration. As a god he probably needed more force."

"He was kind of disoriented", the engineer mused. "And his attitude was less... aggressive."

"Why does it matter?" Steve asked, frowning. "We already knew he is innocent."

"It matters because Fury believes in hard evidence", the spy said. "This is something he can see. Without it we have nothing but hearsay and what could be viewed as retribution."

"Retribution", Barton scoffed. "That's putting it mildly."

"We have to keep our heads", the redhead insisted. "If it seems like we are getting emotionally involved it will make us less believable and that won't help him."

Too late for that. They _were_ emotionally invested. It was only how they actually handled that that mattered. And not a whole lot. There was a reason they sent miss stoneface rather than Tony or Steve. The same reason why it was Cap convincing the public. It was the best option.

"Anything else?" the engineer said. No one spoke up so he got out of his chair, heading back to his silent watch. Only stopping long enough to get some coffee.

* * *

Two months after they had first brought Loki to the Tower Bruce watched as the surgeons removed the metal plates from his bones. Despite them having been completely shattered, with small bits being imbedded in muscles they had now almost completely healed and there was no sign of any bone shards. No inflammation or infection. The damage was still pretty bad and they had kept him in a medical induced coma. With the plates and screws being removed they would soon start to work on hopefully make him wake up.

The team Tony had hired was some of the best in the world and they worked with obvious experience. Quick and efficient. As someone who had at best muddled with medicine it was mesmerising. Even the nurses was top notch. Of course, their pay definitely reflected this.

There were still thin lines in the bones, showing where they had been shattered. But not enough that more than a cast would be needed. In time it was likely even those would disappear. If Loki had been allowed to heal even a little before being sent to Earth it was no wonder it was hard to notice. And it would have been impossible for them to know that the god's eye colour was wrong.

Thor had no such excuse. How he could have missed that his own brother was acting under duress was beyond comprehension. What had happened in Asgard after the gods went back? Had there been an investigation? A trial? It was impossible for them to know until Loki woke up. Which hopefully wouldn't take too many more weeks.

* * *

Three months. That was how long the god of mischief had been unconscious. The bruises had faded but his left leg and right arm was still in casts. By now the doctors had fased out the drugs used to keep Loki in a coma. Not that much had changed. There was still a ventilator down his throat.

At least he was sleeping in a more normal room and wasn't hooked up to as many machines. Tony now often found himself sitting by the Trickster's beside. Answering emails on his tablet or playing on his phone. Sometimes inventing something when he could make himself do it. He felt a certain kinship with the comatose god. Both had been victims of torture and had to find a way to escape. 

The team was taking turns making certain that the engineer would eat and sleep. Sometimes bodily dragging him away. Even he couldn't say why he was so insistent on staying by Loki's side. Maybe he just didn't want the guy to be alone? Especially if he suddenly woke up.

As if the thought had sparked something Tony suddenly heard a change in the Trickster's breathing. He looked up sharply and saw sliver of green that slowly grew bigger as the eyes opened.

Loki had woken up.


	3. Chapter 3

Gods have children with mortals. That was something he learned during his second journey to Midgard.

Thor had retained his boyhood for such a long time, refusing to age and grow up, that he for a while seemed the exact same age as Loki. Even though it was five hundred years between them. After Odin showed them the Casket of Ancient Winter the Thunderer grew rapidly indeed. Soon he was joining the other gods on their journeys to the mortal realm. The Trickster joined them when he had turned twenty, having grown into an adult already. 

That was when he learned this universal truth. Gods have children with mortals.

Stuck in a smokey longhouse he watched in dismay as his brother feasted with the mortals. Several small blondes perched on his lap, all eager to share the bed of the god of thunder. And no mortal man showed any sign of jealousy. Why would they? they laughed. What mortal man could be jealous of a god? It mattered not if the women were someone's wife or lover. What a lucky man indeed, to have a wife beautiful enough for the gods. Nor was it unfaithfulness according to the Aesir gods. What consequence did it have that they fathered or mothered children with these short-lived creatures? Even Odin and Frigga had done so, though the Queen of the gods had rested such activities since her youngest son's arrival.

She had caught his eyes because she wasn't drawn to his brother. Watching the other women she scoffed and rolled her eyes. Shaking her head.

"Do you not find my brother fair and of good brawn?" he asked the woman.

"I find your brother fair and of good brawn, my lord", she told him. 

"Do you not find my brother strong and hearty?"

"I find your brother strong and hearty, my lord."

"Then may I ask what makes you scoff and roll your eyes?"

"I find your brother fair and of good brawn. I find him strong and hearty. But neither of those things set me ablaze with desire nor do they cause my mind's wit to wither, my lord."

"Do you not desire to carry a god's brood?"

"I desire to carry a god's brood, my lord. I like any servant of the gods have such desires. But the question is more of which god than if."

"May I ask what sets you ablaze with desire? What could cause your mind's wit to wither."

"I would seek a god of cunning and of bright mind, my lord. One of quick tongue and of clever words."

He had taken her to his bed that night. Knowing the weight of his actions he choose to bless the seed that would grow with a quick mind and flighty feet. So that they may live a long life. Thor also fathered many children that night but his brother blessed none of them.

* * *

The machines started beeping loudly in alarm as Loki grew visibly distressed. Breathing rapidly and fighting against the tube down his throat, choking on it. Tony flew out of his chair and placed what he intended to be a reassuring hand on the god's shoulder. Instead it made the Trickster trash even more. And the engineer could understand why. He was in a strange place he couldn't remember getting to. One arm and leg immobilised combined with something stuck down your windpipe. It had to be terrifying. 

"Hey Loki, you are okay. No one is going to hurt you, okay", he tried to say soothingly. "Come on, Lokes. Everything is fine. You will be fine." If anything it did the opposite. Green eyes went to his face and the panic grew worse, terrified whines around more chocking.

Knowing himself defeated Tony backed away to give room to the doctors who rushed in. One gave a small amount of a sedative while another removed the intubator. A mask was placed over Loki's mouth and nose instead. While it calmed down the god a bit it was not nearly enough. Yet the medical staff seemed satisfied that he had stopped trashing and wasn't choking anymore. One after another they filed out. The engineer glared after them.

"You would think that they would do a better job for what I pay them", he said and tried to smile at the Trickster. Who was still eyeing him in terror. "Hey, it is okay. I get it. You are scared and confused. But I promise that we won't hurt you. This is my Tower. We brought you here after those harpies left you behind in a bloody mess. You have been unconscious for three months."

The sedative was taking affect going by the drooping eyelids. Not that it helped the fear in those green eyes. On instinct the engineer took the hand without a cast, holding it gently.

"We know you are innocent", he said. "Even SHIELD has backed off, which is pretty big you know. And if Asgard comes knocking we launch them back into space." A tired smile ghosted the pale lips. Which was a small victory. Some of the fear faded as Loki slipped into sleep. Proper sleep. Tony stayed for a few more minutes but when it seemed like the god was actually sleeping peacefully he went to tell the others their guest had woken up. No matter how briefly. 

* * *

It was more than a bit awkward to be the one to transfer Loki from the hospital bed to the wheelchair. The god was still fairly groggy and was very weak. Even without his leg in a cast it was unlikely he would have been able to stand. After talking it over with the doctors they had unanimously decided to give the Trickster a room of his own. Proving to him that he wasn't a prisoner.

Steve lifted the man into his arms, not unlike when he had carried him from the park, and gently placed him in the wheelchair. Loki grabbed one wheel and tried to push on it but it wouldn't move. His hand and arm was shaking badly.

"It's okay", the soldier said gently. "You were hurt pretty badly and is still recovering. I can help you."

"It would seem I have very little choice", the god sighed and hang his head. "My apologies..."

"Why? I don't mind at all." The Trickster looked over his shoulder, frowning. "What?"

"No... it is just that you remind me somewhat of someone I once knew. A long time ago. But that was a couple of hundred years ago."

"Well, I bet people start to blend together after a while."

"...not always. But it is probably just a coincidence."

Loki stayed quiet after that and Steve rolled him to the elevator. He started with showing their guest the common floor and parts of his own floor. After been given permission he showed Tony's workshop and the labs. The small tour finished with the god's room. It was on the common room floor for the sake of easy access. There were already contractors working on a floor for the Trickster. By now the raven looked exhausted. 

"Do you need help to get onto the bed?" the soldier asked.

"If it is not too much trouble..." silently wincing the blond lifted the god over to the bed. Loki had to be beyond exhausted if he didn't even make a fuss about it.

"Just tell Jarvis if you need any help. Any of us will come, okay? Jarvis can hear and see you, so just speak out loud and help will come."

"Thank you..." Yep, exhaustion. No sooner had the Trickster laid down before he fell asleep. Hopefully this meant he was healing. A nice meal would also help with that. Maybe he could make some easy to eat soup. 

Mind set Steve went to the common floor kitchen and started cooking.


	4. Chapter 4

Gods attitude towards mortal could best described as indifference, he learned.

It was why Loki had more children even though Thor certainly fathered more of them. The difference was that every time the Trickster fathered, or carried for that matter a child, he carefully selected only a few of his traits to pass along to the child. All of which encouraged intelligence and a need to strive, to stay alive. The Thunderer did not. As a result many of his children were lucky if they survived until adulthood. From their godly father they would inherit the boastful recklessness that for so long would be his dominate trait. As such they would put themselves in needless danger that for a god was nothing but for mortals were quite deadly. As such, even though Loki had one mortal child for every ten of Thor's all of his managed to see old age.

His lack of proliferation was for decades a source of mockery from his fellow gods. Little did they care for the lives beyond their number. Then Odin announced that the Bifrost would be closed for travels to Midgard. If it was because Thor had grown bored of the humans or if his reckless children caused too much of a disturbance Loki never found out. What he did find out was that while the _Bifrost_ was not to be used, any other method of travel was acceptable. By this time he had already mastered the ability to Skywalk. While his father never said anything out loud it was obvious that he was well aware of his younger son's travels to the mortal realm.

* * *

For the first couple of weeks after the god of mischief woke up he was still too tired to interact much with them. The doctors said he was going to make a full recovery but that he should use the wheelchair for at least a month. During which they should help him with some physical therapy. 

Natasha had honestly thought he would cause much more trouble but instead Loki was polite and unassuming. Reluctant to ask for help, even when he clearly needed it. Banner quickly figured out that simply feeding the god made a huge difference. Apparently food helped fuel his magic and his magic healed him faster. Including reversing atrophy to his muscles. Tony being Tony immediately increased their food budget and gave the Trickster free access to delivery services. 

Currently Loki was happily devouring his third helping of fried rice on the sofa. Sitting beside him Natasha was kind of fascinated by just how much food he could eat. Not that she was staring, that was unprofessional. No, she was reading while studying him from the corner of her eyes. Free from any outside influence he was very different from how he had acted during the invasion.

The spy was seldom surprised and almost never jumped. Yet when suddenly a gentle hand touched her hair she did just that. Playing with her hair carefully the god of mischief looked at it with a mix of sadness and longing.

"I knew someone with hair this exact shade once", he murmured. "She was a very fierce but also a very kind woman."

"Over the course of the centuries you must have met many people with the same hair colour", she said and withdrew her head. Not because it was unpleasant but because it was frankly a bit weird. Loki sighed and lowered his hand, returning to his meal.

"Sometimes", he said. "Sometimes not."

"You are really stuffing it, huh."

"You mean the food?" Now the god smirked. "Asgard doesn't believe in carbohydrates. It is all meat and more meat. My heritage makes me crave energy rich food and on Midgard there have always been plenty."

"You are not from Asgard?"

"I'm both of Asgard and not of Asgard. That has always been my nature, a constant contradiction."

Natasha frowned, that reminded her of something she had read shortly after the invasion. "What does that mean?"

"I was raised among the Aesir and as such I'm Asgardian. But I was born on Jotunheim and as such I'm a Jotun. A giant."

"A very small giant."

"Quite", he laughed but it was rather bitter. "Odin claimed I had been abandoned and that is possible. All I know is that he raised me to hate my own race."

"That's..." Despicable. 

"Maybe he believed he could make the Jotun part of me go away of he pretended it didn't exist. Especially since I'm one of the gods."

"Isn't that just something the Old Norse believed?"

"Not so, agent Romanoff. There are many gods in the universe. Here on Midgard alone you have at least a dozen different pantheons. We are very much real and still influence the mortal world. How much is dependent on how strong our physical manifestation is. Asgard has its own physical existence which gives us a strong manifestation."

"So your influence is also stronger?"

"Indeed. We can walk among you in our true form and you can see it. The Olympians have a weak physical manifestation and can only walk among you in disguise. Making their influence weak."

Natasha suddenly remembered what she had read in the old myths. "I read some stories about the Norse gods. In them you are called the doer of good and the doer of evil. How much of that is true?"

Loki sighed. "Have you ever heard of the multiverse?"

"Yes?" What had that to do with anything? 

"Gods, regardless of pantheon, exist on multiple planes of existence at once. So your myths are both all true and completely false at the same time. We both did all those things and have never done them. We are all those things and we are the complete opposite."

"With you so far."

"In the myths you mentioned I'm indeed the doer of good and the doer of evil. A contradiction. The speaker of lies, the speaker of truths. But I'm also none of those things. It is how Tyr, Vidar and Baldur can all be my brothers while simultaneously only Thor is. How Odin can be the Father of the gods and only be the Father of Thor."

"Gods lives are complicated. Does this mean that you are both immortal and not immortal?"

"Pretty much." This time the smile was genuine and more than a little amused.

* * *

The kinship Tony felt towards the Trickster was kind of weird. Especially when he realised how similar they were and not in the way he would have assumed. It was in the small things, like having the same type of humour. Or the same taste in food. Even their mannerism was similar sometimes. Loki being basically a genius was almost mundane in comparison. 

Once the god managed to get to his feet on his own he took a nearly adorable interest in Earthly cooking. Often found in the kitchen together with Steve, pouring over a recipe. He was an unexpectedly good cook once he learned how to use the appliances. Though thankfully his appetite got a bit less excessive as he healed.

When Rhodey had learnt that the god of mischief was living in the Tower he had initially become angry. Angrier than Fury even. Then, when he was told Loki was in fact innocent he had insisted on meeting the guy.

Tony still wasn't sure that had been mistake or not.

"I had no idea you had an interest in the arts, colonel", the Trickster said pleasantly as the two men wandered around the common room, looking at paintings and photographs hanging on the wall. Mostly courtesy of Pepper.

"I'm no artist but I do have an interest in art", the black man said. "Is this not a thing on Asgard?"

"Let's just say that artistic expressions are decidedly... narrow. You wouldn't find the range available on Midgard. It is one of the reasons I've always enjoyed coming to this realm."

"You've been here before?"

"Plenty of times over the last millennia. Sometimes I even stay for a few decades, immersing myself in the lives of mortals. Odin allowed on the condition that I kept a low profile."

"So, you've pretty much seen all of Earth's history?"

"No, just the last one thousand years."

"Yeah, because that's so little time."

Both Loki and Tony snorted. Once more showing that their humour was similar. Shaking his head the engineer poured himself a glass of water. From the corner of his eyes he saw the duo approach an old black and white photograph. He frowned when the god chuckled a bit.

"What so funny?" Rhodey asked. Agreeing with the question the brunett drank from his glass of water.

"Oh, it's just that this is me." Tony chocked on his water and began coughing. "Are you well, Stark?"

"What did you just say?" the engineer demanded. 

"I just said that this is actually me."

Just like Tony had suspected the god was pointing the woman in the photograph. A black-haired young woman with a child on her lap and her husband behind her. Two more children were standing on either side of the chair. And Loki was unmistakably pointing at the sitting women. Out of all pictures on the wall that was the only one he had placed there.

"That's my great grandmother!" the engineer exclaimed. Loki stared at him for a long moment before saying faintly:

"Oh..."


	5. Chapter 5

His name had been Edward Starq, an Austrian inventor. While he never became rich his skills still allowed him to live in relative comfort. Loki had come across him on one of his many journeys through Europe. They had struck up an easy friendship and it didn't take Edward long to realise the true nature of his new friend. 

Things changed when the inventor passed his fortieth birthday and still hadn't gotten married. No parent wanted to marry off their daughter to what they viewed as a tinkerer. Unwilling to see his friend's brilliance die with him the Trickster had decided to do something about it.

Doning his female form the god had invented an identity for herself as a young heiress from the northern parts of Italy. Who had fallen in love with the older man and convinced him to marry her. It was romantic enough to make most mortals look the other way. Her friend of course new from the very beginning who his wife actually was. And while they lived a comfortable, affluent life they were never actually rich.

Loki initially had two daughters with her friend. Two beautiful girls whom she blessed with a strong sense of self and swift intellect. Knowing the mortals current view on women she also gave them plenty of resilience. So that they could find their own way in a world that would do everything it could to tear them down. Her friend and husband adored their daughters. Loved them plenty and did everything in his power to give them everything he thought they deserved. Including an education and the freedom to choose their own future.

Despite this and despite the fact that Edward never said anything the goddess knew he secretly hoped for a son. A deity having a child was never a coincidence. Never by chance. Not necessarily always consciously but it could only happen it the god or goddess wanted it to. So, because she loved her friend dearly she allowed him to make her pregnant a third time. This time making certain it would be a boy. Her blessings strongly focused on the best qualities of her son's father rather than her own traits. Even if she, as always, included resilience and the will to strive, to live. Holding back her godly nature from seeping through to her children didn't mean that there were not plenty of things she couldn't control.

Her daughters had both inherited their mother's stubborn streak. Quite unintentionally. 

She named her son Anthony. He had very little of her features, resembling his father more than her. This didn't bother her in the slightest. The less her children looked like her the better. He was the only one to get his father's brown eyes while his sister got her green ones.

To avoid suspicion she used glamours that made her look like she was growing older. She never confirmed it but she suspected that over the years, her friend and husband fell in love with her. Truly and fully. While she cared deeply for him her heart had long since been hardened against mortals. Even the love she had for her children was one she never embraced fully. As she knew it would only bring her heartbreak. Though knowing the pain of indifference she never gave her children any less than her full attention and support.

There came a day when Anthony, then an adult, told her that he wished to emigrate to the Americas. Believing he would find better opportunities overseas. This suited Loki well as her friend and husband had passed away only a year prior after a long life. Her daughters had already left for lives of their own and she knew that it neared the time for her to once more depart Midgard.

Giving him her blessings she waited till he had boarded the boat before staging her personas death. Shedding the form he had worn for several decades the god of mischief returned to Midgard. Not to return for over a century. 

* * *

The other Avengers turned up on the common floor, likely drawn by Tony's shouting. There wasn't really any words coming out of his mouth. More like shocked gibberish. Shrinking in on himself Loki gave him a sheepish look.

"Stark used to be spelled with a Q", he said. "I didn't realise..."

"What's going on?" Steve asked while frowning. "Tony, why are you shouting?"

"Why?! I just found out that Loki is my freaking great grandmother!"

"Wait, what?" Bruce eyes grew wide and is anything the god looked very embarrassed. 

"It is a trait among gods..." he muttered. "Having children with mortals."

"You've had more?" Natasha.

"Plenty, over the years. Not to the same extent as Thor certainly but..."

"There are people walking around who are descendants of Thor?" Barton said, looking interested. 

"Well... it is not impossible I suppose but I wouldn't count on it. His mortal children had an unfortunate tendency to get themselves killed."

"Is there a way we can know for sure that you are related to Tony?" Nat asked and they looked at her. She shrugged. "Better safe than sorry and all that."

"There is a spell I might use", the god tapped his lower lip thoughtfully. "It works better with as little light as possible."

"You heard the man, Jarvis", Tony said, crossing his arms as the lights were turned off and the windows tinted. "How does this spell work?"

"Well... if there is anyone in this room who share blood with me, now matter how much or how little, a blue-green flame will become visible within their chest. It is harder to see if there are any interference but your reactor shouldn't pose a problem."

"Alright, simple enough", the engineer conceded. 

Loki made a weaving gesture with his hands and a slight hum went through the air. At first nothing happened but then one after another a green-blue flame appeared within everyone except Rhodey and the god himself. The latter looked at the bright flames with slackjawed shock.

"Oh..." he said even more faintly than before.

* * *

After they all had sat down, because that was quite a shock, colonel Rhodes had excused himself and left. Bruce fiddled with his sleeve while stealing glances at the god. Loki looked positively on the verge of fainting. Which was understandable. How did one react to finding themselves in a room full of one's own descendants? 

"I thought some of you felt familiar", the Trickster said. "But I believed it was just coincidence..."

"So, I'm literally part god?" Tony asked.

"You all are. I can't speak for the effects it might have had in your lives. I admittedly paid little attention to what became of my children once I left." Shifting under their eyes Loki sighed. "It wasn't that I didn't care but... mortal lives they are so... fleeting. Often the best thing I could do for them, and their other parent, was leaving. I'm not Thor who would send his few surviving children on insane missions so that they could seek glory."

"Did Thor really have that many kids?" Clint protested.

"I once witnessed him bed over a dozen women in one night", the god said dryly. "Fathering children with all of them."

"And you didn't?" Natasha demanded. 

"I admit I was more... proliferate... in my early adulthood when the Aesir would carouse among the Norse but for every ten children Thor fathered I had only one."

"Did you give birth as well?" Tony asked and at their incredulous expressions he said. "What? The guy is literally my great grandma, it is a valid question."

"I have taken the role of a woman a fair number of times", Loki admitted.

Bruce looked down on the floor. He could still remember his own shock at seeing a flame come alive in his chest. Proving that he was related to the Trickster. And he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Not after what his dad did to his mom. But perhaps he could talk to the god later. In private.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you guessed it 😄


	6. Chapter 6

He had never thought the gods' indifference would extend to himself.

Then he was brought back to Asgard and thrown into the dungeons without even a proper trial. For months he languished, hoping that someone would find it in their hearts to care. To be willing to listen.

Yet the only one who came to see him were his mother. And even she would not listen. Talk, yes, but not listen. At least he learned why she had stopped seeking the company of humans, stopped having children with mortals.

"When you were placed in my arms, so cold and abandoned", she said, "I realised for the first time the weight of my own actions. That the children I left behind was left to fend for themselves. I didn't even make certain that there was someone there to care for them. Seeing you, holding you, made my heart break for those whom I had abandoned because they were mortal at heart."

Frankly, Loki couldn't feel pity for her. He himself had willingly become pregnant several times with mortals. But only when he was sure that the mortal in question had been willing to have that child. Never had he made a mortal woman pregnant without her leave.

Maybe that was why he had always been so different from the other gods. He lacked their ability to remain indifferent. 

Not long after he was stolen from his cell, causing everything to change. 

* * *

Bruce wasn't ashamed to admit, at least to himself, that he was avoiding a conversation he needed to have. Finally he just steeled himself and went for it. Sitting himself down on the soffa beside Loki. The god looked up from his book in surprise. 

"Is anything the matter, Bruce?" The use of first names had started the day after the reveal that all the Avengers save Thor was related to the Trickster. 

"I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"Can you tell? Where your bloodline comes from, I mean." The Doctor kept his eyes on the floor. Not wanting to see the reaction.

"Are you asking if I may know when and how my blood mixed with yours?"

"Something like that..."

"It is not a problem. All I have to do is follow the blood backwards. Is that something you want me to do?"

"Yes. I need to know."

"Very well." The god placed a hand on Bruce shoulder. It was slightly cold but steady, gentle. "Ah... do you remember me telling you about me being more... active... in my younger years?"

"Uh... yeah?"

"Your bloodline starts back in those days but unlike the others you don't have a single line. In your ancestry you have several points when those old lines crossed and combined. The last being your grandparents on your mother's side. It is widespread enough that no one would be able to call it incest."

"My mother's side", the scientist drew a breath of relief, shoulders slumping. Loki carefully placed a hand under his chin and made him look up. Concern blatant in those green eyes.

"I'm sensing that you have a specific reason for asking me this", he said.

"I'm just relieved it wasn't from my dad."

"...what happened?"

"He was a drunkard who killed my mom."

"I am so sorry, Bruce", the god seemed sincere but it wasn't pity, it was compassion. No one wanted to be pitied. But compassion was different. Warmer, kinder.

"It has been years. Another thing I have been wondering... do you think you being my ancestor have something to do with me surviving the accident? The one that turned me into Hulk?"

Loki bit his lip. "I know little of what actually happened to you but if I was to venture a guess... I'm a natural shapeshifter, there are few form I can not take. My guess is that your accident might have caused you to unconsciously reach for that ability in your blood, pushing all the damage onto that second form. A form that could accommodate the radiation. But because you are not used to shape-shifting you can only access that form when you become excited."

It made a surprisingly amount of sense. Certainly explained a few things. Maybe it also explained why he sometimes had such huge problems controlling his other self.

"You know..." the god said hesitantly. "It is possible that if I taught you the skills of shape-shifting that you could come to fully control your transformations. Maybe you could even learn to take on other forms."

Hope surged in Bruce's chest. Something he had not felt for a long time. For years he had felt trapped. Controlled by a rage monster with no way out. And now he was given a possible solution. It wasn't getting rid of Hulk but gaining control. A chance at balance and never having to fear hurting others.

"I would like that", he said hoarsely. 

* * *

The arrow hit the target. Seven more were clustered in the bullseye. Soon he would have to retrieve them or find a different target. Just so that he wouldn't have to think about the reveal a few days prior. Of all gods he had to be related to it just had to be Loki. Sure, he knew the guy was innocent and all that but still.

Clint released another arrow. It hit one of those already inbedded into the target and bounced. He swore.

"Isn't it better to find a different target?" he didn't need to turn to know who was talking. Natasha came up beside him. "Though, it is pretty impressive."

"Whatever..." the archer almost threw down his bow and went to yank the arrows out.

"Okay, what is it that really bothers you?" she demanded. "Is it being related to Loki in general? That he mind controlled you despite of it? Or the fact that your kids are also related to him?"

He hadn't actually thought about that last part. Pausing he refused to look at his partner. "All of the above?" he said, trying to sound relaxed. There was no way she was buying it.

"You could talk to him, you know. I certainly intend to do so." Clint turned around to stare at her. The spy shrugged. "I ended up in the Red Room, I just want to know if my blood might have had anything to do with it. Though, even if it does is not like I can place the blame on him."

"Whatever..." the archer knew he was basically sulking. "I just don't understand why it had to be _Loki_ out of all the gods. Why couldn't have been literally anyone else? Like, I don't know, Thor?"

"You do remember him telling us that Thor's kids never survived to become adults? And if they did they were usually killed on some mission Thor sent them on." Okay, yes. He did remember that. So, the chances of the Thunderer having any descendants was pretty abysmal. And maybe none of the other gods were any better. But it was still hard to deal with. He didn't _want_ to be related to a god. He certainly didn't want his children to be. But life was unfair like that.

* * *

Natasha left Clint to his sulking. He would come around. Just like he usually did. They were all handling the shock that had come with discovering that they were the descendants of a thousand year old god. One they had fought to help and free from blame long before they learnt they were related. It was just harder for the archer. As for her...

She didn't mind as much as she would have thought. The Red Room had robbed her of her history, her family. And now she had something. A line, an explaination. Someone who, no matter how distant, shared blood with her. It was... something she wanted.

While the contractors was almost finished with Loki's floor there was still some work to do. Which meant you could always find the god on the common floor. Usually reading a book. He had been more likely to sit there in the last couple of days. Maybe to give them the opportunity to ask questions. 

As she had expected he was sitting on the soffa, legs under him and head bent. Reading... the Millennium trilogy. Interesting choice. When she got closer she realised that the book was not in English. Was he reading in Swedish? Sitting down on the same soffa she decided to wait until he addressed her. It took a couple of minutes before he even looked up.

"Why am I getting the feeling you wish to talk with me?" he said.

"Probably because that's the case", the Russian spy said.

"I see", Loki bookmarked his book and placed it on the coffee table. "What can I do for you, Natasha?" He refused to call her 'Agent Romanoff' despite having done so before.

"You said once before that you knew someone with the same hair colour as me, the same shade. Was that person..."

The god sighed softly and smiled sadly. "She was. One of the fiercest women I have ever met."

"Where was she from? It seems like you've been in most of Europe."

"Europe and once to Africa, yes. She was Russian, like you. This was... somewhere around five and four hundred years ago."

"Could you tell me about her?"

"Sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Millennium trilogy (that Loki is reading in the chapter) was written by the Swedish author Stieg Larsson. He actually died before the books were released. While the first book is named "Girl with a dragon tattoo" in English the original name was actually "Men who hates women". There have been two movies made based on this book. One is the Swedish version that has two sequels based on the other two books. The second is American. I've seen both and have read the first book. It is quite interesting because the differences between the two movies exposes the difference between Swedish and American culture. I have to say that the Swedish movie is the better adaptation. It is more loyal to its source material. Especially in term of characterization. 
> 
> But it is not an easy read or watch since it can get pretty brutal at times. 
> 
> On another note. I came across the craziest discussion on r/writing on reddit yesterday. People, who are writers, having a whole thread about words they can't stand. Words they hate and/or disgusted by. As a writer myself this mentally feels quite foreign. It wasn't even crude words but generally pretty normal and common words. I feel like you cripple yourself as a writer if you start to dislike words without reason. Or with reason for that matter. But that's probably because I often use words as part of my characterization.


	7. Chapter 7

Several hundred years ago he had met a woman called Ana. He never learned of any other name and she never told him anything else. She lived alone on a farm in rural Russia. Very much in opposition to the expectations of her society. Appearance wise the most notable feature was a flaming red hair. Its hue reminded him of rubies, deep and lustrous. Whenever she was indoors she would let her hair down from its usual harsh bun. He was admittedly first drawn towards her because of her hair. On Asgard any hue other than blond was unusual. Dark hair, like his own or Sif's, was a little more common. The only one with red hair he had seen was Volstagg and it was more accurately called orange.

Ana had a fiery temper and a strong sense of self. Refusing to bend no matter what. That was what made him stay. Behind her fierce demeanour was also a warm and kind heart. Beating for those in need. She would often convince him to use his magic to heal the woodland creatures she brought home. Had it been humans he wouldn't have been able to do much. He wasn't a god of medicine, healing a human who did not knew of his true nature was forbidden. But animals didn't come with such reservations. 

She was the one to convince him to make her pregnant. They had already shared a bed plenty of times before. Yet when she asked for a child from him he hesitated. The memory of the gods was slowly fading from the minds of the mortals. To be born a demigod in those circumstances would come with many challenges, of that he was sure. But Ana would have none of it. Arguing that being human was always a struggle. A battle against death and every day you stayed alive was a day you had won.

In the end he gave in. Because he was so charmed by her beautiful hair he strengthened its hold so that any female child born from their children would be blessed with such hair. He also blessed their children with strong hearts, quick minds and swift feet. So that they may fight against death always a little longer. And of course, he gave them resilience and the will to strive. 

Three daughters she birthed, his Ana. All with Ruby red hair, fierce temper and strong wills. Even as he was forced to leave them all behind, he knew that they would live. Live and thrive. Hopefully for many generations to come. 

And meeting Natasha Romanoff certainly proved that Ana's strong will lived on.

* * *

It still amazed him. First the kindness and compassion they all had showed him. Saving his life and proving his innocence. Then finding out that they were all his descendants. That had thrown him for a loop. He had not kept track of his many children after he left Midgard. What were the odds that so many of the bloodlines would converge like this? Not only that, most of them were major bloodlines. Coming from lines belonging to people that Loki had bonded strongly with. And while Bruce didn't have that he held the bloodlines that dated back to his early youth.

Using his magic he set the table. Six seats. One for each of them. They had all avoided each other. Only Natasha and Bruce had approached him with questions. He had not missed the light in the spy's eyes as he spoke of her ancestor. Clint had told him about her past and the god could understand her need for answers. Those he couldn't give her but he could offer her some of her history.

"Jarvis? Will you tell everyone that dinner is ready?" he asked the A.I.

" _Certainly Mr. Loki._ " There was a pause. " _They are all on their way._ "

"Thank you."

" _You're welcome._ "

And one after another they dropped in. Eyeing each other uncertainly before taking a seat. The last one to join them were Tony. He sauntered in and plopped himself down beside the Trickster. 

"Hey, Gran-Gran", he said and all the other Avengers froze. Loki just raised an eyebrow. 

"Am I supposed to assume that is me?"

"You are my great grandma", the engineer said while grinning. "Thus, Gran-Gran. Speaking of which. My dad never mentioned his grandparents. Not once. All I have is that picture. So I don't even know what you called yourself. All I know is that dad named me after his dad."

"Oh? I went by the name Lena Valencio before I married Edward."

"You actually married him? Did he know?"

"He knew who I was from the beginning. And yes, I did marry him." The brunett was thoughtful as he pondered what he had been told. "You should eat while you think."

"Sure thing, Gran-Gran. You know, I never knew that dad named me after his own grandpa. That's pretty neat. And I guess I have him to thank for my name."

"Actually..." Loki hesitated as he placed the serving spoon in Tony's hand. "I named all our children. Edward was a brilliant inventor but he had no sense for names. Also... it sounds like your father wasn't... very open... with you."

The man snorted and finally placed some food on his plate and started eating. "That's an understatement. Howard never told me he loved me and he sent me off to boarding school as soon as he could. He was a bit of an asshole", giving the god a pointed look the engineer stuffed his mouth with stew.

"I never said I made my children charming", the Trickster said dryly. "In truth, while I can influence some things and always bless my children there will always be things beyond my control. But the life of an immigrant can be harsh and Anthony was probably quite alone when he first came to America. He... would also have learned his mother passed soon after he left."

"But... you didn't", Steve said. "I mean..."

"I used a spell of mimicry and basically created a doll. At that time I had already been on Midgard for nearly a century. It is honestly the longest I have ever stayed and after, I didn't return until now."

"Don't worry, Gran-Gran", Tony said cheerfully. "It is not your fault your grandson was a huge butt. He that all on his own."

"...you are going to insist on that nickname, aren't you."

"Yep!"

* * *

He had run for such a long time he was actually winded. There were just so many questions and he had no idea how ask them. Stepping out on the common floor Steve saw Loki standing in the kitchen. Cooking. He seemed quite determined to make them all eat. Not that it was a problem, it was just... unexpected. Even his earlier desire to learn was nothing compared to this. Opening a cabinet and taking a glass he filled it with water. Eyeing the god from the corner of his eyes. He was related to this man.

"I can feel you looking at me", the Trickster said with amusement. "Are you questioning how much of the serum was you and how much was your blood?"

"Among other things. I was sick all the time when I was a kid. Even as an adult before the serum. The doctors were all convinced I would die."

"Yet you didn't. There is one thing I've given all my children. Resilience. Perseverance. The will to strive."

"You mean... I didn't die because of my blood? My mom died of TBC. So why?"

Loki sighed and turned to him. "I don't know. All I can do is guess. Steve... I have never met my descendants before. Asgard believed me odd enough for actually caring and loving my mortal children. If I had been invested in their offspring as well... it was just not possible." Turning back to the stove the god stirred the pot. "I do believe, however, that the serum might have triggered some of the things latent in your blood. Like your accelerated healing and the ability to endure extreme situations."

"You are talking about the ice."

"I am. Before I was plucked by Thanos I fell through the Void. Only being a god protected me from this. If the serum truly triggered the divine part of your essence it is very likely it protected you. That I'm immune to the cold probably didn't hurt either."

"My essence?"

"Your core. All sentient beings have a core, an essence. It is different from your genetics. The core passed down from a god can't be diluted. It can't disappear unless the host dies. You can't see the core but I can."

"Is that what we saw? Those flames?"

"It was." The soldier was turning to leave when Loki called out to him. "And Steve? You being my descendant has nothing to do with why you were chosen for the super soldier program. You were chosen because you are a good man and nothing will ever change that."

Steve actually felt himself choke up. There was so much unexpected kindness in the words. Reassurance. And now that he thought about it, it was possible that he was related to the god on his dad's side rather than his mum's. There was just one thing he still wanted to know. 

"Do you remember who the father was?"

The Trickster smirked. "I do", he blinked. "I was." The soldier blushed and Loki laughed. "I haven't been the mother every time. If you'd like I could tell you about her. The two of you have quite a few things in common."

"I would love to hear it. After I've showered." It was the quickest shower he had ever taken.


	8. Chapter 8

In the late 17th century he travelled to the island of Ireland. He had always gotten along well with the Celtic gods and had free range of their domains. The landscape was beautiful and lush. A place for stories and artists. That's where he met Riona.

She had long, blonde hair and mesmerising blue eyes. Full of smiles and her nose would scrunch up adorably whenever she laughed. Unlike most Loki had met in his life she was dedicated to the arts. Struggling against the restrictions placed on her sex by the Catholic Church. Even with a father who clearly valued her for more than her ability to have children. They would go for long walks through the forests and the fields. Often sitting down so that she could draw or paint. If she lacked the supplies he would conjure them for her.

He suspected that her father somehow figured out that he wasn't human. Though rather than thinking him a god, it seemed the man thought the Trickster to be of the Fae. Which was likely why he allowed them to spend time alone. Normally that would have been unacceptable. Even when he eventually arranged a marriage for his daughter he made certain that the man allowed Riona Loki's continued company. Sadly for the brilliant young woman her husband was a dullard who rather ran after milkmaids than lay with his own wife. When he did, he was harsh and unkind to her. He also tried to forbid her to joy of art.

Loki couldn't interfere directly with mortals affair but his role as the Trickster allowed him more freedom. Using his skills and his silvery tongue the god tricked the dullard into starting eating poisonous berries. While not deadly they made him too sick to cause trouble for those around him.

It was during this time he himself took Riona to his bed, giving her the son she longed for. One who would hold her kind heart and her strong will. He also blessed the child with an artistic soul while giving resilience and the will to strive. Her dullard of a husband didn't seem to realise that he wasn't the actual father. 

Had she asked he would have given her another child but she seemed content with the one she got. That would always be how he remembered her. Someone who wasn't afraid to fight for what she wanted but also someone who could be happy once she achieved it.

* * *

Sitting on a mat in the gym Bruce was trying to concentrate. Keeping his mind steady. While meditation usually told you to empty your mind Loki told him to imagine a flame. A small flame. Like on a candle. It should burn steadily without wavering or growing. Holding that image was certainly easier than trying to stop thinking. In front of him the god in question was also sitting with his legs crossed.

"So far you have been separating yourself from your other form", he said. "Calling it the Other Guy. To gain control of your transformations you must first accept that you and Hulk are not separate. You are one and the same. Simply two expressions of the same person."

"Hulk has always felt very different from me..."

"The form shape the mind, this is true. But the opposite is also true. By learning to accept Hulk as a part of you your mind will start to shape his. Allowing you to keep a level head even when your emotions are running wild."

"What if the opposite happens? What if Hulk starts to shape my mind?"

"As it should. Remember. You are not separate. Simply two sides of the same coin. Think of it like this, when you do bioengineering and when you go to sleep, do you behave the same way?"

"Of course not!"

"Do you wear the same clothes?"

"Well... it has happened but then I'm not in my bed."

"So, you dress and behave differently in these two situations. Does that mean that you are a different person in each situation?"

"No? It just means that I... act according to what the situation requires..." Bruce couldn't help but gape. Loki smiled at him.

"Exactly. Hulk is the same. Your second form is not any different from putting on the right clothes and behave in the most useful way for the current situation. Right now the trigger is you letting go of your anger or feeling sexual arousal. It lowers your walls suddenly and rapidly."

"You really think I can learn to control it?"

"I do. It probably won't be seamless like it is for me but it won't be reactionary anymore."

Before the scientist could say anything else Tony burst into the room. All smiles and that coffee crazed energy he got sometimes. 

"Hi Brucie Bear, Gran-Gran!" he said. "How's it going? Learning to live with Jolly Green?"

"We are working on it at least", Banner said and shook his head ruefully. His friend really didn't know anything about tact. Or he knew and just didn't care. It was probably the latter.

"So, Gran-Gran. I had a thought. If you married my great grandpa, did that interfere with some godly marriage you have in Asgard or what?"

"I'm not married, no", Loki said dryly. Very much resigned to his nickname. "Not that it would have mattered. Asgard cares little for human conventions. No one would have thought of it as real. Nor does it stop them from going after mortals. Just look at Thor. He is married and he still fawned over miss Foster."

"Wait, wait", the engineer held up a hand. "Thunder Pants is _married?_ "

"You certainly wouldn't guess it, seeing them", the god laughed bitterly. "Thor is married to Sif. They sometimes remember this."

"Then what was up with him flirting with Jane Foster?! Kissing her and all that?"

Shrugging the Trickster stood and dusted of his clothes. He also helped Bruce to his feet. "Miss Foster is a mortal, Thor is a god. Even weakened like he was. And gods have children with mortals. He just never got to that part I guess. Sif never bothered with mortals but then she has always been stuck up. And jealous."

"Wow. What does she think about her husband having mortal kids?"

"She doesn't care. Most of them died anyway. Besides, she and Thor have a daughter."

The two humans stared at their ancestor. You could listen to Loki for hours, constantly learning something new and interesting. It was never what you expected and sometimes something shocking. 

"Thor has a kid?" the scientist asked. "An alive one, I mean."

"He does. Thrùd is a goddess though. A bit of a menace in my opinion."

"A godly child", Tony mused. "Do you have any godly children?"

"I do but I don't see them very often. They are not... human looking. And the two that look like humans are kept from me."

"What do you mean 'not human looking'? Do they look like wolves or something?"

"Fenris does. A big wolf. Jormungand is the Midgard Snake. He is so big that he encompasses the whole world. Hela is the queen of Helheim, the realm of those who didn't die in battle."

"What about a horse? In the myths you have a horse child."

"One version of me certainly did but I'm not that version. It is the same version that saw my sons killed to punish me. This time they are merely kept from me."

"Yikes..." the engineer shook his head and Bruce could agree. The lives of gods were pretty crazy. No wonder the Trickster wasn't that concerned about suddenly having a bunch of descendants around. Even if he was initially shocked. Tony being Tony did what ever he wanted - and you didn't have to wonder where he got _that_ from - so he proceeded to hug Loki.

"You have us now, at least", he said and refused to let go of the god. It would be the inventor who decided to sort of adopt the Trickster as his whole family. Parents and grandparents rolled into one. Considering the gentle way Loki returned the hug he maybe didn't mind this all that much.


	9. Chapter 9

As a god there had been certain things he couldn't escape. Fate demanded it off him. Like having children with Angrboda that would take monstrous shapes. So, he did just that. He sought out the witch. Thankfully she had been expecting him. Neither particularly enjoyed the experience. Still, the result was as expected and he had now three children that all of Asgard would hate. Not wanting them to suffer he decided to take steps. His daughter he handed over to old queen of Helheim, a former version of the girl. Fenris and Jormungand he brought to Midgard under the guise of visiting the mortals. He stayed with them long enough for his sons to learn how to fend for themselves. Never telling anyone that they existed until it was too late to find them.

Next he sought out Sigyn. While it saddened him greatly he knew it was for the best that he never saw the boys. Narfi and Vali was otherwise in the danger of being killed. Because of him. Fate demanded they were born, not that he told anyone about them. Sigyn knew as well that they had little choice. She promised that she would keep them safe. Maybe he would have loved her but he feared he would curse her if he did.

To his eternal gratefulness he didn't have to recreate the birth of Sleipnir. Asgard already had its wall and the stupid horse stood in his stable. Without Loki's help.

It wasn't until he had fulfilled his obligations that he returned fully to Midgard after Odin had forbidden the use of the Bifrost to reach the realm. He would come back with some frequency the centuries that followed.

* * *

Why was everyone getting cozy with Loki? Banner would be shut away for an hour every day with the Trickster. Stark hugged him every chance he got and the engineer wasn't exactly known for being a hugger. Steve would show the god all his sketches, drawing even more than before. Even Natasha would spend time with the guy. Either just talking or sparring.

Was Clint the only sane one left? Just because Loki was their ancestor and technically innocent didn't mean he was a good or even decent guy. Had they read Norse Mythology? Not exactly the kind of person you got chummy with. 

Okay. He could admit that the myths were probably not very accurate. Something Nat had confirmed as well. But come on!

Coming back from a SHIELD mission looking like he lost a boxing match definitely didn't make him any happier. His face was aching and his favourite bow was in pieces. Even worse was the fact that it hadn't been Fury who assigned him the job. Something he didn't find out until he got back. Instead it was some jackass who had decided to give him a mission he was very unsuitable for. Without thinking he stepped out on the common floor rather than his own. 

He did not expect to feel cool fingers on his face.

"Clint", Loki breathed. "Look at you." Too shocked to react the archer was lead to the soffa where he was made to sit. The cold fingers were gentle and as they caressed his face the pain faded.

"What are you doing?" the agent demanded.

"It is just a healing spell", the god said. "You are shivering... here, let me." Summoning a blanket from thin air he almost burrito wrapped Clint. Then he zipped off to the kitchen, returning with a steaming mug, pushing it into the archers hand. It was hot chocolate. Carefully tasting it the blond felt a slight spiciness. 

"What's in this?"

"You mean the pinch of chili? Natasha showed it to me."

A pinch of chili. Just how he liked it. He tried to ignore Loki fussing over him but, well, he hadn't had many people fussing over him before. Not his mom, not his brother and certainly not his dad. The archer recalled that the Trickster had actually raised at least three kids before. As the mom. Maybe he wasn't thinking and just acted on that memory? Because it was kind of weird. But not entirely unpleasant. 

* * *

Tony was clinging to Loki again. Hiding a smile Natasha watched as the god moved around without concern despite the giant man baby wrapped around his waist. Shuffling along as he made dinner. She had never pictured the engineer as someone who longed for physical contact but apparently she was wrong. Though, she couldn't really talk. Realising that the Trickster was open for physical affection she had claimed her fair share of hugs. He treated her with something between a mom and a dad. Which made sense considering his history of being both.

It also made sense that Loki wasn't bothered by dealing with a Stark. Less than two hundred years ago he had raised three Starks. He had to have seen plenty of the arrogance and self-confidence that seemed to be the Stark brand. Maybe even being the cause it existed in the first place. Either way, he handled Tony pretty well. In more than one way.

"Coffee", the inventor whined.

"Not until you have eaten something", the god said. "And only a small cup. You won't be able to sleep otherwise."

"I hate sleep."

"If you don't sleep you will waste that brain of yours. It is a good brain. Your great grandfather would be proud."

"What about you, Gran-Gran? Are you proud?"

"You are the most brilliant inventor among mortals of your time, what is there to not be proud of? You just need to take care of yourself better."

"Okay..."

Yep. It was silly, it was ridiculous but it was also very, very cute. Natasha smiled openly. She had always wanted a family. Besides, being related to the god of mischief had to have some benefits beyond fre hugs. 

Even if they were very good hugs.

* * *

Someone had fixed his bow. And not just glued it back together. Someone had restored his bow perfectly. And there was only one person who could do that. Clint couldn't figure out the why but he certainly knew the who. Putting away the bow carefully he made his way to Loki's floor.

It was airy, comfortable and even more extravagant than the penthouse. 

"Geez... Tony is totally overdoing it..."

"That his way of showing that he cares", a voice came and made the archer jump. "No one had ever showed him another way." Of course the stupid god was standing behind him. In casual, earthly clothes he could be mistaken for a young college professor. Or a rock star.

"Whatever. We need to talk."

"I can guess about what. Do you want to sit?"

"Uh... sure." Boy it was awkward sitting on the Trickster's soffa sipping coffee. Made exactly how he liked it. "There is one thing I really want to know first."

"Yes?"

"Was it my dad? Who was related to you? Natasha said you could somehow tell."

"I can read the bloodline", Loki nodded calmly. "It wasn't your father. Our connection is on your mother's side."

"That's something. Not that my mom had good taste in men since she choose the asshole."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I remember your ancestor, you know."

"Oh yeah? Was she beautiful?"

"He was very pleasing to the eyes though I think handsome rather than beautiful is more accurate."

" _He_?"

"Yes", there was a smirk. "Your human ancestor was a man. An archer. With the exception of Bruce your bloodline is the oldest. I had just spent nearly a century fulfilling the duty placed upon me as a god. To be a woman for a while and receiving the attention of a handsome human was quite welcome."

"Okay, now I need the full story."

"Oh? Very well then. It was many centuries ago in a rapidly changing Scandinavia..."


	10. Chapter 10

When he returned to the humans this time he had been gone for nearly three hundred years. The lands of the old Norse was leaving behind their old ways in favour of something new. Alongside they also leaved behind their old gods. It was up in the frozen north he met Sven.

With his sandy blond hair and blue eyes Sven was very typical for his people. Managing to have both bulk and be slender. Serving as an archer for a minor lord. Loki at the time had taken his female form. Wanting relief from the sorrows that had been brought to him. Her two sons were somewhere on the realm but she didn't dare seek them out. To her surprise the human archer could see her for what she was.

And she really didn't expect to be pinned to a tree by an arrow through her hood.

"And here I was expecting a forest spirit", Sven had said. "Instead I seemed to have caught something far more peculiar."

"Well, congratulations", the goddess had snapped. "Do you intend to take me as your wife now or something?"

"That's not a bad idea, now that you mention it. Can mortals marry gods?" _That_ got Loki's attention. Somehow this man knew what he was looking at and it fascinated her. Just to mess with him she returned to her male form. Using magic to pull the arrow free, playing with it. "I can't marry you like that, pretty."

"Do you know who I am, mortal?"

"A god."

"I am Loki, the god of mischief."

"That's neat, beautiful. I still can't marry you like that."

It was cocky, arrogant and it was exactly what he needed. So, turning back into a woman she set him on three trials. Saying that she would marry him if he succeeded. They were not the most difficult trials but they were not easy either. Yet he accomplished them with nothing more than his bow and quiver. She was decidedly quite impressed and allowed him to take her as his wife.

That was the first time Loki had decided to be with a mortal for more than one night. Sven built them a little cottage on the edge of his lord's land where they lived peacefully. Over the course of the twenty years she remained she had five children with her husband but only one would go on and inherit her father's archery skills. Her gender shielding her from the dangers of war. There was no secret to her children that she was a goddess. As long as there was no one else around everything was done with magic. To all five Loki blessed the keen eyes of their father alongside resilience and the will to strive. 

When she had to leave her children wept but they all knew why she had to go. Sven, wonderful Sven, thanked her and told her he loved her. That was the first time the goddess realised how heartbreaking it could be to get too attached to the fleeting lives of humans. The Trickster would thereafter harden his heart to protect against heartbreak.

* * *

Sweat rolled down his brow as he tried to hold the balance between himself and Hulk. Trying to allow both minds to exist in two places at the same time. He still struggled with the idea that it was all him. Losing control scared him. What if he hurt others?

"Bruce", Loki's voice floated in his mind. "Don't make it into a fight. Think of the flame."

Doing as he was told the scientist called on the image. Immediately the struggle became less. It was as if his mind was focused, two sets of eyes watching the steady flame. Taking a deep breath the doctor reminded himself it wasn't a battle. He was meant to be talking with Hulk. Communicating. Somehow.

"There you go. Now, lower your walls. You have no reason to fear, you are not in a a fight. Open yourself."

This was harder. Everytime he had almost managed to let go his fears acted up and he couldn't make himself relax. Each time the Trickster patiently coaxed him back to the starting point.

By the end of the hour he was exhausted. They never worked for longer than that. Apparently this kind of mental exercise could be worse than physical training. Leaving you completely drained. The god helped him to his feet and steadied him.

"You are doing good, you know", he said.

"Thanks", Bruce swallowed and closed his eyes. And opened them again. He was feeling nauseous and it wasn't pleasant. Unsteadily he made his way up to the common floor. Everyone tended to gravitate there at some point during the day. If nothing else they always ate dinner together.

"Woah, there Brucie Bear", Tony was suddenly beside him, steadying him. "You are looking a little green and not Hulk green."

"I just need to sit down for a bit..."

"I take it that the lessons with Gran-Gran was intense."

"In a way. I'm just tired."

"Right. You sit here", the engineer deposited him in the soffa. "I go make some ginger tea. That's supposed to be good for nausea."

"Tony..."

"What?"

"You do realise that we are not... you know... siblings or anything like it, right?"

"Eh, close enough." The inventor headed to the kitchen. Bruce shook his head. He liked Loki and was grateful for their help but everyone else seemed to become more than a little attached to the god. Treating him like a parental figure. Which meant that they were also starting to treat each other like siblings. Like Tony, they tended to include him. Even though he wasn't like that. Not that he realised.

"Hey Banner", Clint nodded to him and joined the engineer in the kitchen. Despite his initial suspicion and hesitance the archer was now fully Team Loki. Being yet another one who treated the Trickster as a parent. He was also extremely smug about the fact that his human ancestor had managed to pin the god to a tree.

Maybe that was why? The others had one person who was their ultimate ancestor. A man or a woman that had specifically drawn the god of mischief. He on the other hand was basically the result of a wild youth.

Tony brought him a cup of perfect ginger tea.

"Thanks. How did you know that this would help?" Bruce did expect it to be Jarvis, that was usually the reply.

"That ginger tea might help you stomach? Gran-Gran told me. And showed me. He said that you needed people to look after you because you no longer know how to ask gor help."

...

Maybe he _could_ start to see his friends as more of a family. They were technically related after all. And having a nice father figure in his life couldn't hurt. Right?

* * *

Something was going on in Avengers Tower. He was sure of it. Any surveillance equipment had been disabled and he knew Barton's bow had been broken into pieces.

Fury frowned harder. He had seen the evidence. Multiple times. It was obvious. On the surface at least. And if there was something going on with the Avengers there was only one person who could be responsible. 

Alright. Two people. Or three. Four. No wait, five. And what about...

Sighing the director of SHIELD closed his laptop. He had his work cut out for him.

"Get me a chopper", he told Hill. "I need to go to New York."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is the first of Advent. In Swedish we have this tradition of placing a special candle holder with four candles in a row. Each Sunday we light one more candle until all candles are burning. With start the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is the official start of the Christmas holiday. People will eat gingerbread cookies, decorate and clean their homes. I'm no different. Though I'm not into coffee like most Swedes. Sweden consumes more coffee per capita than the whole of America. 
> 
> For nine years straight I have been going to church every first of Advent. Participating in the Advent service. Every year since I became an adult and moved away from home. Not this year. It is a bit sad and a bit weird. As the only sibling without kids I'm used to bend to my sisters' tradition but this was mine. Ah well, Advent is a symbol for hope so, I will hold to that.


	11. Chapter 11

He had been furious. With Odin, with Frigga, with Thor. Not helped by the utter madness that had taken root in his mind. For centuries his brother had treated his endearment towards the mortals with either indifference or mockery. Then he spent all of three days believing himself as mortal as the humans, suddenly believing they were not so insignificant after all. Even though it was all about him lusting for the mortal woman.

As for his sudden change towards the Frost Giants. That was rich, coming from a man that had mere days before wanted to wipe them out. What would Thor think, when he learned that his so-called brother was one of the monsters he had once sworn to kill. Unhindered by Odin. Oh, he had plenty of anger for the All-Father for blasé attitude towards his oldest son's hateful comments.

When Loki fought it was the anger of hundreds of years that came out. Hatred towards all of what he was. For what had he bowed to fate? To have to abandon his children? Had he known he wouldn't have cared about what was proper. He would have stayed. Been in their lives longer. Fenris and Jormungand wouldn't have had to fear for their lives. Hela, his sweet girl, wouldn't rule Helheim. And Sigyn, the poor woman, wouldn't have to raise two sons on her own. Because it was too dangerous for Narfi and Vali to know him.

As he fell towards the Void he prayed to both the Norns and his daughter that they would end his suffering. Neither listened. 

Or maybe they did. Just not in the way he had expected. 

* * *

"Ha! I win!" Clint exclaimed and stood up, making a little dance.

"Dude... it's just Go Fish", Tony said. "It is not like it is some high stake game or anything."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not going to play Poker against you and Natasha. That's like asking to lose money. And losing in general."

"How the heck were you a spy?"

"He did most of his assignments from afar", Natasha chimed in. "From places like the vents and the ceiling."

"Yuk. That's disgusting. What about dust and shit?"

"You get used to it..."

Loki smiled to himself as he stirred the content of the pot. He was making a very traditional Asgardian dish that he himself had always enjoyed. Hoping that the others would like it as well. It was heartwarming to see the five of them coming together, acting as siblings almost. Having raised his fair of children he recognised the behaviour quite well. The squabbling, the ribbing and the light banter. It was a bit unexpected just how much he was starting to care for them. Tony wouldn't be a surprise as the engineer was his great grandson but the rest?

They were his descendants. Not his children. The people he had connected with were long gone. Centuries gone. But, oh how they reminded him of them. And of the children he had either fathered or birthed. It made him want to claim these five as his own. As more than people distantly related to him. Yet he didn't dare to speak this out loud. If he got too attached... would he really be able to let go this time? There were ways to prolong mortal lives. Especially if they carried the essence of a god already. 

Which could be selfish. They had their own lives. Clint at least already had a wife and children, even if only Natasha knew. There was no guarantee that the Avengers would want to stay in his life just because he wanted to stay in their's. 

"That smells delicious", it was Steve. From the looks of it he had just finished his training. Sometimes he really reminded the god of Riona. In all the good ways.

"Do you want to taste it? It is almost finished", Loki offered.

"If it is almost finished I can wait", the soldier said and hesitantly gave the Trickster a hug. And then it took him a few moments to let go. All of them did that to some degree. Hugged him. And he loved it. Asgard didn't have that kind of culture. Yet all five would give him hugs. Some with confidence, like Tony, and some like they were afraid he would reject them.

"Very well. Mind setting the table?"

"Not at all", the blond seemed much lighter when he let go and had soon roped in the others in preparing for dinner.

They were not his children. But they might as well been.

* * *

Tony had always sucked at eating and sleeping properly but ever since Loki had come into their lives that had changed. Especially after they found out he was their ultimate ancestor. Now he went to bed every night after eating far too much of the delicious food they were served every evening. 

Leaning back in his chair while sipping on his small cup of coffee, he wasn't allowed more, he could admit that he liked this kind of life. The Avengers were more tight-knit than ever before. Amazingly there didn't seem to be an end to the god's patience. He put up with them without a word of complain. The engineer was well aware that all of them sought the Trickster out for emotional comfort even if they never voiced why.

"There is some dessert if anyone wants it", Loki said. "Just some pie from yesterday but it should still be good."

"Honestly, Gran-Gran", Tony said. "I would love to but I can barely fit the coffee. That Asgardian stew or whatever was really good."

"I wouldn't mind some pie", Steve admitted and blushed. He was always the one person to eat more. Probably due to the serum. As if reading the soldier's mind the god heated a large piece of strawberry pie and added a big dollop of vanilla cream. Without making a single comment. He did give the others a look of warning. Telling them to not make fun of the blond.

Just then sound of a helicopter came from the landing pad outside. They exchanged glances. Who the heck would be landing this time of the day?

He should have known. Stiffling a groan Tony got up when Fury swooped in. As always living up to his name. Had the guy been born with a scowl on his face or had he trained in front of the mirror to get it right?

"Nick!" the engineer said with false cheer. "How nice of you to invite yourself! Want some stew? Pie? We just finished eating. Well, except Steve but that's okay. We have to feed the super soldier. Anyway, there is some left if you want."

"Does this look like a social visit to you?" the pirate growled. His one eye went to Loki who had been instructing Bruce to clear the table. The god noticed the look but obviously didn't pay it much attention. "How long will he stay here?"

"Forever? Seriously, no kicking Gran-Gran out. What do you want, Fury?"

Now that one-eyed glare went to him, looking incredulous. "What did you just call him?"

"Gran-Gran."

"And why would you call _Loki_ that?"

Right. They had gotten so used to it that they had forgotten to tell anyone else. Wait. Did Pepper know? What if Pepper also was... no. Nope. That would be... weird. Rhodey knew but that was because he had been there. Hmm... Tony should tell Pepper. Oh, Fury was glaring at him. Because he asked a question. 

Oops?

"Well, as it turns out Nicky boy, Loki is my great grandmother. Literally."

"Hey!" Clint protested. For a guy who had initially rejected the whole thing he was now very attached to the god. "We are also his descendants."

"He told you that, did he", the pirate demanded, crossing his arms.

"Not quite but not inaccurate either. It is both complicated and very simple."

"Stark. You are testing my temper."

Before Tony could say anything else a cool hand was placed on his shoulder. The god of mischief had made his way over.

"I understand it is a lot to take in, director Fury. To put it simple. Gods from all over the universe has this habit of having children with mortals. It is what we do. None of us expected to learn that we are related."

"And the claim that you are Stark's great grandmother?"

"Is true. A few generations ago I took the identity of Lena Valencio and married Edward Starq. An Austrian inventor. Tony is the grandson of my son that I had then."

"That explains one person. What about the rest?"

"There is a spell that shows if someone is related to a god."

"I will see it then."

"Very well." Loki made the same gestures as before. This time no one was shocked to see a flame in their chest. The light had already been low and cozy. It _did_ seem like the flames were larger.

No one was shocked by their own flames. But seeing an identical flame show up in Fury was... a bit weird. To put it mildly. Even the Trickster blinked and then swallowed.

"Oh", he said. "That's..."

"Ugh, I'm related to Fury", Tony whined. "How is that even possible?"

"I spent some time in Africa a few hundred years ago", the god said. "You have reason to be proud, your ancestor was a remarkable man. If you wish we can seek privacy and I can tell you of him." The last parts were directed at the director (hehe). Who scowled even more.

"You will tell me right here where I can see if you are trying any tricks."

All of the Avengers looked like they wished to pummel the man but Loki simply shrugged. "I was trying to be considerate but very well. With this country's history I can't blame you. You have lost more of your connection than most."

And then he began telling the story of Fury's history.


	12. Chapter 12

At one point during the centuries he decided to see more of the mortal realm. Travelling all across Europe and working his way down to the continent of Africa. At the southern border of the Sahara desert he met the Inyoka tribe, or the Serpent Tribe. Their named came from the deity they worshipped. A large, white snake. The Inyoka was nomads, only staying in the same place for a few days in order to hunt. Their goddess had her own special litter that they carried. Protected from the harsh sun and coarse sand.

Normally Loki would have been in trouble, being somewhere so hot. But he had taken precautions and used protective spells. Meeting the tribe was a coincidence as he had decided to make use of their well. They were more surprised than angry and even that faded when their shaman proclaimed his true nature. There were many gods and goddesses to be found on the African continent. Meeting one who came from so far away had not been something any of them expected. Nonetheless they treated him with immense respect. More than he had ever received from the Old Norse. Even after learning of his nature they still treated him with respect.

Then there was Inkosi. It meant Chief. No other name was ever spoken. He was their leader. A king, in many ways. A large man with well defined muscles who knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to take it. He was darker than any of the rest, a testament to his willingness to do his part of the work. Loki was immensely fascinated with Inkosi. There was both kindness and ruthlessness in him. His people followed him out of love and loyalty. Because they wanted to.

There really wasn't any surprise that Inkosi decided that he wanted the foreign god. Their time together was heated and passionate. A serpent goddess might procreate with mortal snakes but humans wasn't on the book. Loki knew she tolerated him and his presence but she didn't like it.

At one point, in midst of their passion, the Trickster straddling the strong lap in his male form and arms around the thick neck, Inkosi hissed in his ear.

"Take my seed like this", he had said. "In this form, carry me a son." And Loki had done so. Taking all of Inkosi's best qualities and solidifying them. Leadership, steadfast and the kind of person willing to do their part. And, as always, he blessed the child with resilience and the will to strive. 

As his stomach grew the Inyoka marvelled at the sight. But he knew that his time with them was running out. The night after his son had been born he snuck out of the tent he and Inkosi had shared, his newborn in his arms. With tears in his eyes he approached the white snake goddess. Already he had encroached on her domain for too long. Kissing his son's face for the last time Loki placed the boy in the serpent's coils.

"Look after him for me", he had begged. She had looked at him and then flicked her tongue. A snake's promise. They had had several things in common. After all, his symbol was two snakes biting each other's tails. He knew his son would be safe. It still broke his heart to have to leave the boy behind like this. But sometimes, that was the kindest thing you could do.

* * *

Fury was struggling with accepting the story he had just been told. That much was obvious to Natasha. She could understand how he felt. It had been similar to all of them. All you had was his words but as he spoke you could feel it in your heart. Feeling the truth within the tale and almost an echo within the soul. Like you for a moment stood side by side with the person he was telling you about.

"Do you really think I would believe your pretty little tale", the director snapped.

"I don't intend to make you do anything", Loki answered calmly. "I have told you the truth, what you do with it is up to you. Though I admit I didn't predict one of Inyoka ending up as part of the slave trade. Especially not a descendant of Inkosi."

"What do you think happened?" Tony asked, attempting to shield the god from the black man. Which was a bit ridiculous since the engineer was human and the Trickster wasn't. But she could certainly understand the urge. Her own emotions wasn't far off. Smiling Loki ruffled the short brown hair like one would a small boy.

"My best guess? The serpent goddess was killed. A physical manifestation is more vulnerable even as it is able to influence more. Her worshippers consisted of a dozens people. My blessings has always urged my children and their offspring to survive at all cost. It is no surprise that they would endure slavery and then come out on top."

Scoffing Fury turned on his heels and marched out. Nodding the others Natasha followed him. He gave her a look.

"Do you really believe what he is saying?" the director demanded.

"He has no reason to lie to us. Besides, you felt it as well, didn't you?"

"I haven't come this far by taking things at face value, agent Romanoff. I'm surprised you are."

"I'm not but I'm not rejecting evidence either. He is not the man from the invasion, Nick. Loki is a kind and a very warm person once he lets his guard down. His patience is almost endless and is there when you need him."

"Is this love, agent Romanoff?" It was meant to throw her off. Reminding her of the god's word during the invasion. Then she had said that love was for children. It was. But she also knew better.

"It is", she admitted. "He has given me the one thing I never had. A family. He is my father and my mother. And I have no doubt that he has grown to genuinely love us. Why shouldn't I feel the same?"

He studied her quietly. Nick Fury was no fool. Hardened and headstrong. Often stubborn to a fault. But not a fool. Once back at headquarters he would do some research. Look into the claims Loki had made. And she had no doubt that he would come around. While he probably wouldn't become a part of their special family she was convinced he would at least be on their side. That was enough sometimes. 

Natasha wasn't prepared to run into the god of mischief after she had seen her superior off. He had that soft smile of his and held out his arm in an invite. Which she took. Allowing him to pull her into a warm hug. Hugs were underrated. Decades without them and now she couldn't help but melt into them.

"You were right", the Trickster murmured in her ear. "I do love all of you as if you were my children."

" _Ya lyublyu tebya, Papa*",_ she said.

" _Ya tohze tebya lyublyu, dochka**_ ", he replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used Google translate. Keep that in mind. 
> 
> *"I love you, Papa" 
> 
> **"I love you too, daughter"
> 
> Oh, and the words I used for the tribe are Xhosa. Which I also used Google translate for but I didn't want to make up words. Inkosi do mean chief/ leader and Inyoka means serpent.


	13. Chapter 13

He tried to argue, he really did. But some people you just couldn't fight against. Besides, Pepper had a point and he didn't have much of a choice. So, mid November he dragged his feet up to the common floor. Steve and Clint were playing some card game while Bruce read some complicated book on biology. Loki was preparing lunch, a buffet of leftovers from the looks of things. They all turned or looked up when Tony joined them. Feeling a bit self-conscious the engineer plastered on a fake smile.

"Hey! Where's Nat?" he said.

"Got called on a mission", the archer said. "She will be back in a couple of days."

"Aw, shucks. Can't be helped I guess. Sooo, Pepper needs me to go back down to Malibu for a few weeks. There is some SI business that needs handling."

"For how long", the god asked.

"I'm not sure. Hopefully I can be back in time for Christmas but other than that? I don't know. I have sort of let her handle everything and she still doesn't know about this godly thing. If I can settle things now it will be easier further down the line." Tony still had that fake smile on when a gentle hand ruffled his hair. The smile melted away as he looked into those green eyes.

"Do what you must", Loki said. "Whenever you need us, you will find us here."

"...thank you Gran-Gran..." sinking into a hug was exactly what he needed right then.

* * *

Skulking through the cold streets Natasha didn't give away that she knew she was followed. As far as missions went it was pretty standard. Gather the right information and leave. It was a bit more difficult after New York. Her general anonymity had more or less evaporated. But, she was a professional and had always been able to turn disadvantages into advantages. That's why she didn't take out her shadow. There was another thing she had every intention of exploring. 

Her connection to Loki.

He was a god. One with immense power and a vast array of abilities. His magic alone broke all rules known to humanity. While he had not intentionally passed on any of his abilities to his descendants it wasn't the same as not happening. Natasha's theory was that she might be able to borrow something of his nature. A nature that served a spy and assassin rather well.

She heard them before she saw them. Knowing they would be there. Rather than avoiding the ambush she intentionally walked right into it. Several grabbed her and she put up a token of a fight. Letting them drag her away. This was familiar. It wasn't the first time she had used this tactic. They threw her into the trunk of a car and drove of. Allowing a small smirk she waited. Maybe twenty minutes later they shoved her into a chair and she looked up in the smug face of Yankov Malcovich. An underground weapons dealer working in East Europe.

"The Black Widow", he drawled. "So blinded by fame that she believed we wouldn't recognise her."

"Please", she simpered. "Don't hurt me." The Russian man laughed loudly.

"Even the deadliest woman is still a woman I see. Weak. Pathetic. Emotional. Cut away her clothes."

"All of them?" a good said eagerly. 

"Let's leave the poor thing some decency. For now."

Natasha held still as they roughly used scissors to cut and rip her clothes. Leaving her in her underwear. While she was used to the cold after the Red Room she could still feel it. Or, she used to. For a moment she was shocked to realise that the temperature didn't bother her all. Even through the men's breath were clearly visible in the air and they were bundled up she didn't cold. And she wasn't numb. This wasn't her dying from hypothermia. Even more startling was the fact that there wasn't a white puff from her mouth.

It shouldn't have been humanly possible. 

But what about gods? Loki had explained that he belonged to something called Jotuns. Frost Giants, he had said. Taken from his home world after having been a a due to his size he had grown up believing himself Asgardian. In hindsight he understood why the cold never bothered him.

She imagined the cold as a blanket around her. Protecting her, keeping her comfortable. And even the small bit of coldness she had felt disappeared. Her limbs warmed and her mind was crystal clear.

"Tell us", Malcovich drawled. "What does SHIELD want from me? Or is it your Avengers?"

"Please, I don't know anything. All they told me was that Thulin had started to move weapons and they wanted me to investigate."

"Thulin? Jakob Thulin?" The weapons dealer scowled. "He is nothing but a small time smuggler."

"That's was all they told me. Thulin is moving a big shipment to Moscow. Guns, granades. He intends to sell them to some crime syndicate."

"Boss..." the lecherous goon said. "Isn't the shipment to Moscow yours..."

"Shut up!" Malcovich growled and Nat hid a smile. She got him. So far the information she had gathered agreed. If she took out the fool it would disrupt the black market of weapons in Eastern Europe. They had left a bracelet on her arm. Carefully she aimed the fake ruby and activated the small laser. It cut through the ropes with ease. In an instance she was on her feet and started to take them out. Encumbered by their coats as they were it was fairly easy. Stealing a gun she shot Malcovich with deadly precision. 

Just as she was stealing a coat and intended to make her way away from their she took notice of one of the men. Remembering him from the file. That was Jacob Thulin. The man wasn't a figure in weapons smuggling but he was guilty of human trafficking. As such she had no qualms about shooting him and then arrange a gun in each of the men's hands, pointing at each other.

It was when she was back on the jet that she realised that she had during all this time somehow known when someone was lying to her. While she was good, she was not _that_ good. But, her ancestor, her _Papa_ , had the moniker god of lies. Maybe it was less about telling lies and more about knowing them.

Smirking she happily put on some proper clothes and settled down for the flight home. Home to her family. 

* * *

Malibu was too quiet. Too empty. Most of the days it was just him and his bots. He didn't want to act like a child and call the Tower just because he was feeling lonely. Rhodey visited often enough and he loved being back with Pepper. But they just weren't enough. 

It made eating and sleeping a chore. He couldn't stay still unless he was inventing. Improving on his suits. Sighing Tony put down his tools. He could hear Loki berating him for not taking care of himself. Even though he had always hated people nagging on him because of his unhealthy habits he had not minded when it was the god. Because there was so much love and care behind it. What the Trickster would think if he knew the engineer was preparing to place a chip in his arm he didn't want to know. 

"Tony? Are you there?" Pepper. The strawberry blonde woman came down the stairs and entered her code to come inside the workshop. She crossed her arms in displeasure. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Er... Jarvis?"

" _72 hours, sir. Or three days if you want._ " Oh yeah, Gran-Gran wouldn't be happy when he learned. Although the only consequence was likely to be a warm meal, a glass of warm milk and then being tucked into bed. Yep. That was right. He, a man in his early forties, being tucked into bed. By his great grandmother at that.

He missed it.

Someone who wasn't likely to tuck him in was glaring at him. Arms crossed and foot tapping. Looking like she had tried to chew leather.

"So. You won't kiss me or hug me. You barely take the time to see me and now I'm learning you are not sleeping", Pepper growled. "Is there something you are not telling me, Tony?"

"Well... there is one thing. It has to do with Loki." 

The anger melted. A smidgen. Concern taking its place. "Is everything okay? Is this about New York? Rhodey said something about it."

"I'm not having nightmares", which was true. Those had evaporated once his Gran-Gran started mother henning him. "It is just a bit complicated. Do you remember the black and white photo I insisted on hanging in the penthouse? That really old one?"

"The one of your grandfather as a child? Of course I do."

"Uh... yeah. It turns out that the woman in that photo is Loki."

"The woman?" Tony could see the gears turning in her head. Putting it together. "Your great grandmother?"

"That's the one."

"Are you trying to say that Loki is..."

"My great grandma. Yup. And I'm not the only one. Everyone of the Avengers except Thor is Loki's descendant. Even Fury is related to him. You can't tell from the outside but yeah."

"So why are you avoiding me?"

"I mean... what if it turns out we are related? I know it would be with likely hundreds of years in-between. Plenty of generations. But this is my great grandma, my Gran-Gran. It would be... weird."

"This is unbelievable", Pepper glared at him. "You better start behaving like an adult and not getting caught up in stupid stories. You are avoiding me because I _might_ be related to some random god that you just happens to be related to as well?"

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe that you believe. That doesn't mean I believe Loki."

He had an angry retort on his tongue. No one was allowed to insult his Gran-Gran! But she stormed off before he could say it. He sighed and looked at the chip. 72 hours without sleep.

In the end he did insert it into his arm. While he left Jarvis to run diagnostics he finally went to bed.


	14. Chapter 14

He was a complete idiot. It was something he had been told many times but it wasn't until now that he fully felt it. His actions up to this point had been... questionable. Stumbling Tony felt into the snow, the suit he was dragging behind him getting stuck. Again. Tennesee. Ugh.

It had started with Happy. Or rather, with Happy being blown up. If the engineer never had to see another loved one in a hospital bed it would still be too soon. On edge and with emotions boiling he of course decided to challenge a terrorist on live TV, giving out his address. Sure, it wasn't exactly difficult to find that information anyway. Still. Stupid. He could only hope that Pepper was alright. Maybe he could save his poor bots. The only reason _he_ was alive was thanks to Jarvis.

Well. Maybe the only reason.

Because he was walking through snow in wet clothes without freezing. Which should have been really bad. Especially since he wasn't even shivering. Yet he had full use if his limbs and wasn't feeling tired. Oh, he felt the cold alright. It just didn't seem to affect him. At all. 

Spitting out snow he struggled back to his feet. Stupid Mandarin. Stupid Ten Rings. Stupid Tony Stark that had a too big mouth.

There were lights ahead and when he got closer he saw that it was a gas station. An honestly offensive plaster statue of a Native American stood selling cigars. It was wearing a poncho and as even though he wasn't hurt by the cold - still weird - he wanted to get warm. Or warmer. There was also a phone booth. Getting out of the wind was a blessing but that wasn't what he was after. He knew he should call Pepper but the number his fingers punched was different.

"Hey Gran-Gran!" he said cheerfully into the phone, not thinking he got anything other than voicemail. "So, I'm not as dead as everyone believes."

"Tony?" When Loki's voice came from the other side he felt all strength leave him. "Are you well?" Just hearing the god's voice, the genuine concern was enough for the engineer to break down in tears.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I was stupid, so stupid. Don't know what I was thinking. But Happy is in the hospital and people are getting killed."

"Breathe, dear. Deep breaths. That's it. Where are you? Do you want someone to come get you?"

"I'm somewhere in Tennesee. I... Gran-Gran... I can't come home yet. I'm not sure what's going on but..."

"Easy, my sweet. Do what you have to do and then come back to us. Alright?"

And just like that warmth spread through his limbs. It was like Loki was standing right beside him. Lending him strength. More than anything was the trust placed in him. Instead of telling him how stupid he had been. Drying his face he managed to gather himself.

"I promise. Could... could you tell Pepper I'm alive?"

"I will."

"I love you, Gran-Gran."

"I love you too, Tony."

And heart set the engineer began walking again. Resolve renewed and with more strength. 

* * *

She was alive. A miracle. But as the machines worked and workers lifted debris her hope for Tony was slowly draining away. How could he possibly be alive? Taking a deep breath she jumped when an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke to her.

"Miss Potts?" Spinning on her heels she came face to face with a tall man. Black hair and green eyes. Loki. "I have a message for you."

"Really?" Pepper said thickly. "And what might that be?"

The god came closer. "Tony is alive. He wanted me to tell you."

"He's alive?" she whimpered into a whisper. "Oh, thank goodness... he's alive. Where is he?"

"Where he feel like he needs to be. Miss Potts, you will have to trust him. Something I've learnt over the years is that no relationship can survive if one party always has to make sacrifices for the other. Being Iron Man is part of who Tony is. This is something he needs to do. Otherwise he can't live with himself."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Edward was very much the same."

"Who?"

"Edward Starq, Tony's great grandfather." Right. Supposedly the Trickster and the engineer was fairly closely related. The whole reason he had been freaking out about them. "And just so you know, as far as I can tell you are not related to a god at all. Certainly not me."

She chuckled wetly. "That's good. Are you sure he will be alright?"

"I'm sure", Loki smiled gently and carefully pulled her into a hug. It was surprisingly warm and comforting. She could see why Tony would get attached given his history. "I always gave all my children resilience. It will serve him now."

He offered to bring her to New York with him but she was determined to stay until the very end. The god nodded in understanding and placed a spell of protection on her. Saying it would keep her safe.

* * *

Harvey was pouting and glaring at him. Before he might have ignored the boy's feelings and maybe even mock him. After having gotten an another chance at family he decided to go for different approache. Exiting the car he squatted down in front of the kid.

"Look, the things I'm doing, they are dangerous. You saw those people. If I won't do this more people will get hurt. And I can't let one of those people be you. You have your mom, your little sister. If I let you come you would be in incredible danger."

"But what about you? Won't you be in danger?"

"Probably. And that's why I need you here. Who else can send the suit to me? Okay?"

"Fine." Harvey was still sulking but he seemed to be able to accept the circumstances. Setting out he had been driving for perhaps twenty minutes when the car broke down. Cursing to himself Tony got out. There were smoke coming from the hood. Heavy snow was falling and the temperature was slowly falling. Even in a proper coat it wouldn't do him any good to be stranded out in the middle of nowhere. Tall trees stood around him and he didn't have a cell phone. No cars were passing him. He was seriously unlucky lately. 

Cracking the hood had not helped. While the smoke was gone he didn't have any tools to fix the motor. Not the engineer was really starting to worry. Suddenly the hairs in his neck rose.

" _Fear not, little brother_ ", a deep voice said. Turning slowly Tony gaped as he came face to face with a giant wolf. It's legs alone was taller than he was. And he had just heard it talk. " _Fear not, little brother. I can help._ " The voice rumbled but didn't seem to be as much spoken as somehow pushed into his head.

"You are a wolf. A giant wolf. That can talk. Kind of."

" _I am Fenris, a son of Loki_."

"A son of..." a wolf. Right. Gran-Gran had mentioned he had children who wasn't mortal but wasn't really human either. Including a wolf. "What are you doing here?"

" _I could sense you, little brother. Called by our shared blood. Your transportation is broken._ "

"Yeah. I know. And I'm bloody cold too."

Fenris lolled his tongue in a silent laughter. " _You have humor, little brother. I think I like you. Let me help you._ "

"You know we are not brothers, right? And help how?"

" _With gods intention is more important than facts. Father think of you as his son, that makes you so. Climb onto my back and I will take you where you need to go._ "

Tony hesitated. And had so many questions. But, the car was broken and he was out of option. So. Grabbing everything from the car he waited until Fenris had lied down before climbing onto his back. Once the wolf was sure he would fall off he set off. His giant limbs carrying him swiftly across the landscape. Gripping the thick fur the engineer amazed at the speed. Maybe he wasn't so unlucky after all.


	15. Chapter 15

Thanks to Fenris Tony had arrived at his destination in good time. Before the wolf had left him the beast had said:

" _There is more of our father in you than you might think. Face your fear head on little brother._ " Then he had bounded away, unnoticed by humans. And while the engineer had done well for a long while it sadly came to an abrupt end. Testing the handcuffs he tried his signature bravado with his captors.

"You will regret this."

"Oh yeah? What will you do?" Goon #1 said.

"You will see. Say, how many miles is it between Miami and, for example, Tennesee?"

"I know that", goon #2 said. "It is..."

"Shut up!" #1 growled at his colleague. "Both of you."

"Nothing wrong with a bit of trivia", Tony attempted a cocky smile. "And you will definitely see what I can do in one... Two... three..."

Nothing happened. Damn. Did this mean that the suit was still charging? Or that it was taking too long for it to travel the distance. The goons laughed at him. Then one pulled out his phone, talked into it for a few seconds before showing it to the engineer.

"Hello Stark", Adrian Killian's ugly muck was on the screen. "How do you like your accommodations?"

"Oh, you know. A bit drafty and the interior design leaves a lot to be wished for. The room service is horrible."

"Very funny. I have someone you might want to see." Killian moved and the breath stuck in Tony's chest. Pepper. She was nearly stripped and strapped to some kind of gurney. Someone off-screen picked up a syringe. "How do you think she will handle the extremis serum, Stark? Some test subjects have been known to blow up you know."

"No! Don't you dare!" Straining against the handcuffs the engineer shouted. Fighting to get free. Laughter echoed in the bare room at his struggle. Feeling an odd surge in his stomach the brunett lurched forward suddenly. His hands going through the metal like it was butter. He stared it in astonishment. The cuffs had somehow melted and fell in small sludges to the floor. There was no time to think about it though. Goon #1 ran towards him and he ducked before managing to wrestle the gun from his hand. A glass panel broke as... one gauntlet and one boot shoot through. Really?

Picking up the phone that had fallen he had just time to see the needle pierce Pepper's skin before the feed was shut down. Rage filled him and he took down the goons running at him. Aiming the gun he nicked at goon #2 the man raised his arms in surrender. 

"Honestly? I don't even like working here. They are so weird", he said and with a twitch of his head Tony let the man go. A moment later the rest of armour arrived, wrapping around him.

"Better late than never, I suppose..." he looked at the melted handcuffs. He should have been burned. More importantly, metal didn't spontaneously melt. It was almost as if the material had transfigurated momentarily before returning to its original state. Except he was no Harry Potter. Leaving the mystery behind, even if it galled him, he searched through the mansion. Hoping to find his girlfriend. Instead he found his best friend. 

"Rhodey?" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"They took the Iron Patriot armour", his friend panted. "Tony, they are after the president."

"They also have Pepper."

"What do we do? We can't go after both!"

Or maybe they could.

* * *

"I am the Mandarin!" Killian shouted as he punched Tony. The president had been saved and somehow Pepper wasn't hurt. They never managed to inject her and nothing thrown at her would actually hit. It was like there was an invisible shield surrounding her body. And there was only one person capable of doing that. Loki.

Getting to his feet the engineer dodge as another fist came his way. He had made a good number of suits during his lonely, sleepless nights but they were doing him no good. This had to end. People were relying on him. Were waiting for him.

"You can't defeat me, Stark", the madman yelled. Skin glowing red. "I am a GOD!"

This filled the brunett with anger. Again he felt that strange surge and when he moved forward it was with more speed than what was normal. His fist connected with Killian's jaw. Making the man fly.

"I know gods", Tony said coldly. "You are not one and will never be one."

"What would you know of gods, Stark?" The mad man's eyes had lost much of their rationality. "You are nothing. All you are is because of your suit. And guess what? It won't protect you!"

"I am the great grandson of the god of mischief", the engineer growled. "And I won't lose to the likes of you." His fist landed again, connecting once more with Killian's jaw. This time though, it glowed with a soft green light. Giving strength to his limbs. Adrian Killian a.k.a. the Mandarin didn't get up. Pepper staggered to her feet and went to him. Throwing her arms around his neck. They stood for a moment just breathing. 

"Let's get out of here", he murmured and she nodded. The very last of his suits forming around him and he flew them to a nearby roof. "Are you okay?"

"I... yes... I'm okay", the strawberry blonde woman was shaking but there wasn't even a scratch on her. "What was that? That speed, that light? Please tell me you didn't take some kind of drug!"

"Woah! Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Tony looked down at his fist. "I think... it is the part of me that is related to Loki. It has always protected me but now... now it is starting to become... more."

"What do you mean?" His girlfriend seemed scared.

"I think I have inherited some of his powers. And that I've used them without knowing for years. Now that I know that I'm related to him, that power is making itself known. He did tell us that we are part god and that that part never goes away no matter how many generations pass."

"Oh... Tony... I don't know if I can do this... Loki said I'm most likely not related to a god but..."

"Please", the engineer cradled her face. "Pepper, I need you. I know things are changing and it is scary. But I love you. I want you to be a part of my life, even when it is crazy."

"And Iron Man?"

"It is part of who I am. It is not the suit. It was never the suit. Please, Pepper. Let us give it another go."

Pepper deflated with a sigh. "Alright. I give it a chance. On one condition." He tensed. "That you ask Loki to _teach_ you. That you won't try to figure this out on your own. Got it?"

"I can do that", Tony smiled and kissed her. "Gran-Gran is a pretty good teacher."

"That has to be the stupidest nickname you have ever come up with..." 

They remained on that rooftop for a long time. Just relishing in the closeness between them. It was only a couple of days till Christmas and his family was waiting in New York. 

* * *

Nick Fury accepted the folder. He didn't want this information on any servers. There were two pieces of information within that he wanted to confirm. At the top was a very short note. It basically said that the Inyoka tribe had indeed existed and that they used to worship a white snake. There were also a story about a white god visiting the tribe, leaving behind a treasure. The tribe had more or less been wiped out because of the slave trade. It did lend validity to Loki's tale.

It was pulling out the second piece of information that really confirmed it. A photograph of a young woman that by the account had been Lena Valencio. There was also mentioning of living relatives in Austria. That wasn't what convinced him. Staring at the old photograph he could recognise the god of mischief. Even black and white there was no mistaking that face.

"Son of a bitch", he muttered to himself. Stark really was related to the bastard and apparently, so was he. And if two cases were confirmed it made sense to conclude that all of them were true. Meaning that all of the Avengers save Thor had the blood of a god. There was no telling what impact this would have. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you have probably figured out, the last two chapters were basically Iron Man 3. The parts I leaved out played out the same as in the movie so I didn't include them. 
> 
> I have said this before in other stories and will say so again. I read every comment I get. While I don't have a habit of replying I do read them and greatly appreciate them. It is what gives me the drive to write with such frequency.


	16. Chapter 16

"Miss Potts", Loki greeted the strawberry blonde woman Tony had brought with him. None of the Avengers had actually met the CEO before. Bruce studied her with curiosity. He knew she had had a lot to do with the construction of the Tower. Tall and thin she was very poised. She shook the god's pleasantly, thanking him for his help. The only other person she greeted with the same familiarity was Natasha.

"You know each other?" Clint asked curiously. 

"Oh yeah", Tony said, guess we never mentioned it. "Nat went undercover at Stark's Industries a few years back. To evaluate me for the Avengers Initiative. You were rather unfair you know. I was dying."

The spy shrugged. "People under pressure tend to be more honest in their reactions but that time I was wrong. Pure and simple."

"...I have never heard you admit to being wrong", the archer said. 

"I'm trying to be a better person", the redhead said. "Good to see you, Tony. We were quite worried for you."

"Thanks Nat."

Bruce again marvelled how natural they were all acting. Not like friends but as a family. Things had been subdued after the engineer left and seeing his home being blown up was... not a good memory. The scientist placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. 

"Good to have you back."

"Thanks Bruce", the man grinned and pulled the doctor into a hug. "I'm happy to be in home in time for Christmas. As will my forehead of security now that he has woken up."

"Forehead of security?"

"Happy Hogan. He started as my driver and is now in charge of security. A good guy." Tony paused. "I can't believe I nearly forgot. Gran-Gran?"

"Yes?" Loki had been talking to Pepper but turned to his great grandson immediately when spoken to.

"This might sound crazy but... I met Fenris."

"You met..."

"The car I had borrowed broke down and I was stuck in the middle of nowhere. Then he was suddenly there. He let me ride on his back all the way to Miami." The god was speechless. "He even called me 'little brother' and said we are basically siblings."

"He did, did he", the Trickster smiled foundry, his tone of voice soft and loving. "It sounds like he is well. I'm happy."

"I am your _doch'_ ", Natasha said and slipped into a hug. "So he is my _brat_. Right _Papa_?"

"Of course", Loki kissed her forehead gently, holding her close.

"Hey! No fair!" Clint protested. "If she get to call you that I do too!"

"If you want to you are welcome to do so", the god looked at all of them. "You can call me whatever you feel the most comfortable with."

"Aww", Tony cooed. "Group hug!" He threw his arms around their ancestor. The archer quickly joined in and after a moment Steve did too. "Come on, Bruce bear. You too!"

Smiling Bruce did get to his feet and joined the hug. It had been long since he had a family. Having this was all the sweeter for it.

* * *

When Steve woke on the Christmas Day morning the smell of cinnamon permeated the Tower. Cinnamon and sugar mixed a bit of peppermint. Taking a quick shower he had then made his way to the common floor. They had spent the last few days decorating the large living room and the giant Christmas tree. Now, with dimmed lights and burning candles the floor was decidedly cozy. There was even snow on the windowsills. He strongly suspected that Loki might have had something to do with that.

Speaking of the god. He had put on Christmas Carols and was busy setting the table. A pot of rice porridge was sitting in the middle and there was a basket of dark bread. Still steaming from the oven. A plate held ham. Two bowls contained sugar and cinnamon. Steve was for once the last one. Everyone else was already there.

"I was just about to ask Jarvis to wake you", Loki said and smiled. "Happy Yuletide, my dear."

"Thank you", a 'Pa' was on the tip of his tongue but he didn't let it out. "Merry Christmas. This looks amazing." They all took their seats and began eating. First they just sat silently enjoying the quiet together but slowly conversation started up. Mostly about how people usually celebrated the holiday. It was pleasant and interesting. Both the similarities and the differences.

After breakfast they sat down and watched a couple of Christmas movies together. Halfway through the second one the god of mischief got up and started to prepare lunch. And what a lunch. Boiled eggs, small sausages, meatballs, smoked salmon, pickled herring, spare ribs and in the centre a large ham. And more.

"No turkey?" Pepper asked curiously as they sat down.

"This is a traditional Swedish Christmas buffet", the Trickster explained. I hope you don't mind."

"No no, not at all. It is nice to try something different anyway."

"Not to mention that we ate turkey during Thanksgiving", Tony chimed in. "Some variation doesn't hurt. This is really good."

Steve couldn't do anything but agree. He and his Ma had had very little when he was growing up. Even during Christmas. After she had died he had celebrated with the Barnes. But he had never truly celebrated with a family like this. It was nice. More than nice. It made him feel warm and happy. 

After eating it was time for presents. A sizable pile had been made under the tree. To make things easier they sorted all of them first, giving them to the right person, without opening them. Once that was done they took turns. It was generally pretty generic things since they didn't know each other all that well yet. Then came the things from Loki. Each of them except Pepper got two things.

Steve looked at the half finished painting and the brushes. They felt old. He had gotten a big box of art supplies that was brand new but this wasn't. The others had also received things that seemed old. A wooden bow for Clint, a toolbox for Tony and a music box for Natasha. Bruce had received a leathercord with some kind of carved bone. They looked at the Trickster. 

"They are keepsakes", he explained. "I have kept them in my dimension pocket. Protecting them from time. I figured they belonged to you now."

"I recognise this symbol", the engineer said and looked at the toolbox. "My dad said it belonged to his dad."

"It was the symbol Edward used on his inventions. To mark them. The toolbox belonged to him."

"Could it be..." Natasha opened the box and listened to the simple melodi. "These belonged to our human ancestors?" The god nodded solemnly. 

Steve looked at the canvas again. The painting was of two people, a man and a woman. While there was a lot of details missing he could still recognise the god of mischief. The other had to be Riona. Both were smiling.

"What about this?" Bruce asked and gestured to the necklace. 

"It belonged to a woman named Solveig, she carved it and gave it to me. As a thank you for giving her the son she had always wanted", Loki said. "I didn't have much from that early period but I hope it will do."

"I like it, thank you."

"Um... Gran-Gran?" the engineer held up a colourful rock. "What is this? I'm not complaining, it is pretty but..."

"It is a healing stone" the god explained. "If you crush it over someone it will heal them instantly. I know you have been reluctant to have surgery so I figured you could use that instead."

A hush fell before the brunett spoke. "It could remove the shrapnel? And the arc reactor? Without risk?"

"It is possible, yes."

Hand shaking Tony held out the stone to Loki. "I can't do it myself, I wouldn't know how. Can you..."

"Of course. We can go the the guestroom to take care of it."

They were gone for about fifteen minutes and when they returned the engineer showed them his chest. No more arc reactor and not a single scar had been left behind. The god was smiling. 

"I'm glad I managed to make it in time", he said.

"You made it?" Bruce asked in surprise. To everyone's amusement the Trickster smirked.

"I'm one of the only two in the whole of Asgard that have the ability to make healing stones", he said. "And mine has always been better."

Steve started laughing and Clint snorted before bursting out in laughter himself. The rest followed suit. 

It was the best Christmas he had ever had. Before he returned to his floor that evening the soldier gave Loki a big hug.

"Thank you, Pa", he said. "I love you." From the expression on the god's face that was the best present he could have given.


	17. Chapter 17

She had initially intended to give him the documents during Christmas but it hadn't worked out. For one thing she hadn't be sure he had any kind of citizenship on Earth. That could change things. It had taken till now to learn that he had been made a juridical person, giving him a legitimate presence in terms of laws and rights. Maybe it was for the best anyway. Giving this as a present wasn't really appropriate. At least not in that setting.

"Papa?" Natasha approached Loki as he was reading on the sofa. It was quite fascinating how much of a bookworm he was.

"Yes dear?" He looked up at her. Giving her his attention immediately. Something he did for all of them. She handed him the folder.

"All you would have to do is sign them", she said. The god looked at the documents inside, eyes widening. They were adoption papers. Adult adoption was maybe not normal but it was legal and fairly easy. "If you want to that is."

"Are you sure?" the Trickster asked. "This is something you want?"

"I have been looking into it for months", the redhead admitted. "There were a few I had to research first. I... I kind of hope that you want to sign them."

" _Milaya_ *, I'd love to." Summoning a pen he wrote his name with flowing letters on the empty lines. All that was left was sending them in. Natasha threw her arms around his neck, burying her face against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Papa", she said softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, _milaya_."

* * *

Once they learned that Natasha had been officially adopted by Loki, on her request, the others started to follow suit. First Clint and then Steve. Next had been Bruce who had been fairly shy about it. For some reason though Tony found himself hesitating. It wasn't that he wouldn't love to have that kind of connection but... well...

"He is my great grandma", he told Pepper. "If we go through an adoption... I don't know..."

"It is not like you would have to start calling him mom or dad", the strawberry blonde woman said while clicking away at her computer. "Not that calling him 'Gran-Gran' isn't ridiculous already... regardless, the only thing that matters is if you want to or not. It wouldn't change things all that much."

That wasn't much help. Sighing he let Jarvis take him back to his floor. Only he was delivered to Loki's floor rather than the penthouse. The god was working on something, pen flying over paper, and didn't seem to hear the elevator door open. Head pounding the engineer threw himself across the Trickster's lap. Startling him. 

"Is everything well, little one?" Gentle fingers stroked his hair soothingly. 

"I don't know what to do!" Tony wailed.

"About?"

"This whole adoption thing. I both do want and don't want it." He felt more than heard the warm chuckle.

"It is just a formality, Tony. The others wanted it on paper because it is important to them. If it makes you feel uncomfortable you don't have to do it."

"That's the problem. It doesn't make me uncomfortable but it would be weird, wouldn't it? We are not distantly related. It hasn't been centuries. It has been one. Grandpa had my dad late in life and dad had me late. That's the only reason I never met him. If I had maybe he would have spoken of you."

"You can't measure your life after other people's thoughts and expectations. There will always be those aiming to tear you down. All you can do is follow your heart and try to act in a way that makes you happy."

"Isn't that selfish?"

"I'm a god, we are always selfish."

"Yeah, right. If you are selfish I hate to see what Asgard deems as selfless."

"Tony, dear. Listen to me", Loki encouraged the engineer to sit up. Looking into his eyes. "It is never selfishness to want to be happy. Selfishness is trying to gain happiness on the expense of others. And you are not like that."

The engineer spent the rest of day cuddling with the god while listening to stories from the past. Three days later he sent in his own adoption papers, signed by both of them.

* * *

Her instrument was going nuts. Leaving Darcy and Ivan to their game she followed the signals, not paying attention to where she was going. She was _not_ prepared for the hand on her shoulder jerking her backwards. Stumbling Jane collided with someone's broad chest. For a few seconds she felt hope. Until she looked up and into the face of the god of mischief. 

"Miss Foster", he said. "This little game of yours isn't very safe."

"It is not a game!" she protested and swung around in order to face him rather than leaning on him. While he wasn't as big as Thor the astrophysicist had never realised Loki was almost as tall. Making him tower over her.

"Messing with things beyond your understanding? A dangerous game indeed. If you had gone through that portal there is no telling what would have happened."

"Portal?"

"A rift in the fabric of the universe, brought on by the Convergence."

"Wait! You know what this is?"

"I've studied many things, miss Foster. Let's get your associates and leave before you get into more trouble."

"Why should I go with you? You attacked New York!"

"I'm pretty sure my reasons are well known by now."

Okay. Yes. It had been explained over and over that he had been tortured into compliance and controlled. Not that it changed his actions but he had been exonerated. Taking a grip on her arm the god pulled her with him. Darcy freaked when she saw the two but was decidedly less agitated once Loki somehow saved the car keys. He then took them to a mental hospital. 

Where they found Eric. Who also freaked at seeing the god.

"Doctor Selvig. I understand that you have all reason to hate and fear me", the Trickster said. "For that I do apologise. But I might be able to help you with the residue. Then we can work together to minimise the damage caused by the Convergence. It is nearly upon us."

"Do you think Thor will come?" Darcy asked, now fascinated rather than freaked out. Eyeing him with interest. Loki gave her a look.

"I can't speak for Thor's actions. He might come and he might not. But I doubt it unless there is danger", he then petted her head. "As for you, miss Lewis, you really should turn your attentions elsewhere. Tangling with a god is not all it seems to be."

"I have one condition", Jane said. "I help in exchange for one thing."

"Yes?"

"Take me to Avengers Tower."

"Deal." That was surprisingly easy. "A word of advice though, miss Foster."

"It is _doctor_. And call me Jane."

"Very well. Jane. I would forget about Thor if I were you. He will never be what you want him to be and he will never truly feel for you what you feel for him."

"That's none of your business!"

He sighed and muttered something about stubborn mortals. "We can speak more of this later. For now we have work to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Google translate. 
> 
> *sweetheart


	18. Chapter 18

Reluctantly Selvig brought them to his apartment. He had clearly been trying to study the Convergence for a while. Even without knowing what it was. Loki looked down on the map. Humans had always been fascinating to him. Their natural ingenuity had drawn him in for centuries. The elderly man pointed at the map.

"Here is the center of the Convergence", he said. "Greenwich. If we can stabilise it the energies won't crush us."

"That's good", the god said. "You said you've made equipment for the purpose?"

"I did..." the man was vary of him and would probably be happier if the Trickster stayed away. "When you bring Jane to the US, you think you can take me as well?"

"And me!" Lewis said, her companions looked at her. "What? I want to meet the Avengers."

"That won't be an issue", Loki assured them. "For now we have to focus. The Convergence is opening up foldspace, risking bringing things from the fold out into the Nine Realms."

"What is foldspace?" Foster asked. 

"It is the space between Realms. I believe you would call it dark materia. Sometimes dark materia creates bubbles. Life can occur in these bubbles. Either because it was trapped or because the basics were already present. A skilled seidrmadir can sense the foldspace and access it. That's how you get dimensional pockets. You create a small bubble that only you have access to."

"How big are these bubbles?"

"It varies. When I stopped you you were about to walk into a bubble in foldspace. I couldn't tell if the bubble was natural or had been constructed. That was worrying enough that it was best to leave it be."

"You are kind of talking like you know that folding space really well", Lewis said and cooked her head. The god smiled. He found her interest in him a bit... concerning... as she felt like a child to him rather than a grown woman. But she had some cuteness to her. Like a hamster.

"I am the only seidrmadir ever to have walked the paths created in foldspace. That's why they call me Skywalker."

"Like Star Wars?" 

Loki chuckled. Tony had insisted they all watched the movies when he had heard that moniker. "My title predates the creation of those movies."

"I'm going to pick your brain", Jane muttered. "I'm going to pick it clean. Later. Focus, me. Convergence first, space wizard second."

Shaking his head the Trickster pitied her. While it might seem like Thor had been interested in her for her brain he knew better. His brother had not seen a mortal woman in centuries and the first one he met was feisty and self-assured. Of course he would want to claim her. Pure luck was the reason she wasn't caring for a child rather than pursuing her passion. Because the Thunderer had never asked the women he laid with what they wanted. It was unlikely that had changed.

"Let's head to Greenwich", he said and eyed the group. "Hopefully we can keep anything particularly harmful away."

In the end it was fairly anticlimactic. They placed the spikes as huge portals opened in the sky, showing all the Nine Realms. Loki took care to close any bubbles opening - or simply bursting them if possible - and sent back anything that got through. That didn't change the strange chill he felt. Like he had just escaped something far worse. Making him wonder what could have happened without his interference. Probably nothing good. He remembered stories about Bor, Odin's father, destroying the Aether but had always suspected he had merely hidden it. Since it was very difficult to destroy an Infinity Stone.

Maybe... no. That would be too much of a coincidence. Jane Foster accidentally stumbling upon the one portal leading to the foldspace where the Reality Stone was hidden was a ridiculous notion. Either way. He had his own reason for being thankful that the Aether remained hidden.

"Well then. I suggest you gather your things, we are going to New York."

* * *

Teleportation was both the most amazing experience she had ever had and the worst. The fact that they had instantaneously travelled from London to New York was breaking every natural law known to men. Jane shook herself and realised that they were standing on top of Avengers Tower. A door opened to let them in. Inside all of the heroes except Thor was waiting. She felt a bit disappointed. 

"Do you know when Thor might return to Earth", she asked Loki. The god looked at her sadly. 

"Miss Foster... Jane... I sincerely encourage you to forget my brother. What you want of him he will never give you." he said.

"But... I don't understand. Is this about me being mortal?"

"It does but not in the way you think. It has to do with the nature of gods."

"What does that even mean?" she complained.

"Hang on", Tony Stark said. "I just had an idea. Wait here." The billionaire rushed off and blushing the astrophysicist realised she had not even greeted any of them.

"Um... hi", she said and waved uncertainly. Eric had already greeted his old friend, Doctor Banner. Who seemed surprisingly relaxed.

"Hi", he said and shook Jane's hand. "Bruce Banner."

"Jane Foster." The other Avengers gave her their names and she shook their hands. Then Stark came back with... an old photograph. 

"Here, take a look at this", he told her. She took the photo and looked at it. It was one of those old time family portraits. A man standing beside a chair upon which his wife sat, a small boy in her lap. In front of their father stood two girls. The husband's features were quite familiar. Jane smiled.

"He looks like you", she told the billionaire. "Is it your grandfather?"

"Great grandfather. Keep looking." 

Not understanding she kept looking, trying to see what she was missing. It was the third time her gaze swept passed the woman that she noticed it. Despite lacking colours and the face being softer there was no mistaking it. Her eyes snapped to the god. The woman was wearing a time typical dress and her hair had been made up in a tight bun. And there was no way to unsee it.

"This is you?" she demanded of Loki. "How can this be you? Does that mean that Tony Stark is your descendant?"

"We all are", Steve Rogers said carefully. "From different points in time but we are all his descendants."

"How?! Why?!"

"Because it is what gods do", Loki said softly. "It is one truth of the universe. Gods have children with mortals. For us Asgardians it isn't even considered unfaithful if you are married."

"But surely Thor wouldn't..."

"I assure you, Jane, that my brother most certainly would. He has. The only reason you are unlikely to meet one of his descendants is that I have never heard of one of his mortal children surviving long enough to had children of their own."

"But... but..."

"I'm sorry. It is not always easy to be a human swept up in the indifference of the gods."

"Don't include yourself there, Gran-Gran", Stark said and... gave the god of mischief a big hug. "You are anything but indifferent."

"Thank you, _bambino_ *."

"Uhm..." Darcy tilted her head. "What's with the hugs and nicknames?"

All the Avengers smiled. The billionaire even hugged Loki tighter. It was like they shared a secret. Jane couldn't really take it in. Her mind was reeling. Seeing this the god said something to his... great grandchild...that was still weird... and reluctantly the man let go of the other. Chill but gentle hands cradled her face.

"I'm sure he meant nothing malicious. At the time he truly believed himself to be mortal. He had not seen a mortal for a very long time and you probably intrigued him. The fact is however that had there been more time he would have done what he wanted and then walked away. Without sparing you a thought. At the moment you are his unclaimed prize. You helped him grow a bit more humble but in the end you are still mortal and he is still a god."

Feeling nauseous the astrophysicist sat down. She wasn't sure she believed him completely. And probably would not until she could talk with Thor himself. But the mere idea that someone could have taken advantage of her, making her pregnant against her will, was... frightening. Because that's what Loki was implying. And based on the Avengers attitude towards the Trickster and the evidence that he himself had been a mother, it was very unlikely he had done something like that. Meaning that he appeared to have more integrity than the god of thunder. 

She wasn't sure what to do with that information. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Google translate. This time to Italian. 
> 
> *child


	19. Chapter 19

Out of courtesy Doctor Foster and her friends were staying in the Tower while Tony set up somewhere else for them to live. The engineer wanted to hire all three of them for Stark Industries. In the meanwhile Jane would corner Loki whenever she could, peppering him with questions. Even though all of them knew the god could handle himself they still felt protective of him. Which was why Steve tried not to show he was spying on them.

"Okay, so you are the god of mischief", the woman said. "What does that actually mean?" The Trickster winced.

"It is not that simple, miss Foster. Our titles is not based on the Old Norse", he said. The soldier felt his eyebrows rise upwards. That was new. "In fact, the languages based on the old Norse lack a word for mischief. We were ofter referred to by our kennings, or moniker if you want. Descriptions. Odin was described as the father of the gods or the wisest of the gods. Thor is known as the mightiest of the gods. Tyr is the best swordsman. Heimdall with the all-seeing gaze."

"What about you?" the blond asked, he couldn't help but be drawn into the conversation. Loki simply smiled at him and patted the seat beside him.

"I've held many names. The Trickster, the Deceiver, the Liar are among the more... unkind... but I've also been known as the Truthspeaker, the Cunning, the Protector of lost souls. As Natasha noted I've also been described as the doer of good and the doer of evil. Though it is more accurate to say a version of me held that particular description." The god something far away in his eyes. "To answer your question, miss Foster. Me being the god of mischief means that I'm the one of change and many names. The ever changing. Where the other gods remain unchanging millennia after millennia, version after version, I am constantly changing."

"So the myths..." Jane began.

"Are usually referring to a different version of us. Of course, what I just said is only in relation to the Norse Pantheon. The Olympians are far more defined and so are the old Egyptian gods. Even then, we still have areas of influence that in turn had given us titles later on. Barggi for example is the god of poetry and Frey is the god of fertility, health and abundance. Though, many of the Aesir and Vanir are fertility gods. Thor included. Frigga is the goddess of motherhood and prophecy."

"What about you? What is your area of influence?" the small woman had an intent expression but the Trickster wasn't fazed.

"Can you guess?" he said with a small smirk. She opened her mouth a few times to answer but nothing came out. Finally she crossed her arms and huffed.

"Isn't it magic?" Steve asked. "Your area of influence, I mean. Or rather, one of them. But magic sort of summerize it."

"That's one way to put it, _leanbh_ *", Loki laughed. "My area of influence is indeed magic, among other things. I also influence change, good and bad."

"So... you are not an evil god?" the petite woman asked, making the blond bristle in indignation of his adoptive parent. A hand was placed on his wrist, he looked at the god who gave a small shake of his head.

"I'm not a god of evil, miss Foster. But I'm not a moral god either. None of the Norse Pantheon are. Other Pantheons have gods who represent pure evil alongside there general mayhem. But moral isn't a word I would use to describe us gods. Petty. Small minded. Selfish."

"You are not selfish!" Steve protested.

"I'm very selfish, _leanbh_ ", the Trickster said calmly. "My actions have rarely been for anyone except me and my own. Selfish isn't the same as being evil or entitled. It simply means you put yourself first. Or, as in my case, putting my children first. Even when it comes at the cost of others. That all of you are amazingly selfless is all from your human side. And I couldn't be prouder of you."

"Er..." Foster seemed uncomfortable and eyed them uncertainly. "That's... you have children now? Alive, I mean."

"Of course. There are my godly children, Fenris, Jormungand, Hela and the Twins. Then you have the five who lives here."

"The five... you mean the Avengers?"

"Via adoption", the soldier said with a smile, knowing Loki was messing with her. "It was something all of us wanted. A real family."

"Oh..." she was quiet for a moment. "I have only one more question. For now. Is everyone in Asgard a god?"

"No", Loki shook his head. "There are a perhaps two handfuls who are actually gods. The rest are merely long-lived. We don't count them as mortals in the same way we view humans but they are not virtually immortal like us gods. When they die, they die. We just restart the cycle. The inhabitants of Asgard is called the Aesinjar. A good example is the Warrior's Three. They are not gods but they are citizens of Asgard. Sif on the other hand is a goddess."

Jane nodded and stood. She thanked the god for his time and headed to her guestroom. Feeing tired all of a sudden Steve leaned against his adoptive parent. A soft hand started to pet his hair, allowing him to relax.

"You don't have to protect me, you know", the Trickster said.

"I know. But we want to. We have all lost so much and we don't want to lose you too."

"Oh, _leanbh_. As long as my heart keeps beating I'm not going anywhere."

Slipping into sleep the soldier felt tension release in his shoulders. Ever since his Ma had died life had been one kind of struggle after another. Having someone who was willing to just be there, who could take it, that was way too rare.

* * *

She was packing her bag reluctantly. Fury had asked her and Steve to come to Washington for a few missions. For some reason he had decided that they would not share quarters. Instead the blond would borrow an apartment while she would have a room in the Triskilion. It made her pretty miffed at her superior. Just because he rejected his connection didn't mean he had to separate the siblings. Or maybe he refused to acknowledge that the Avengers was basically siblings now. The result of all of them signing adoption papers. 

Hmm. That meant that technically Thor was their uncle. Was that a good thing or a bad thing.

Things at SHIELD had started to make her feel tense. There was something there that felt wrong. Like she was constantly being told a lie but she couldn't tell what the lie was.

"Are you alright, _milaya_ **?" her Papa's voice came from the doorway. 

"I don't want to leave", she admitted. "All my life it has been about missions and now I have something that is different."

"You could say no, leave SHIELD."

Natasha shook her head and sighed. "I don't want to leave Steve on his own. It feels like he shouldn't go alone. But Papa... I have such a weird feeling within. Like it is trying to warn me of something."

Strong arms carefully pulled her into a hug. She melted. "Do what you feel like you must and know that we are here for you. Both you. And I will be just one call away. One call and I come to you."

She wouldn't do that since she didn't want him in danger. But the meaning behind it, the pure love, still gave her strength. Loki wasn't aware that all of them still remembered his broken and dying form lying in a hospital bed. Maybe there were none of Earth who could hurt him like that but they still couldn't shake it. Then he had been nothing more than a stranger. Now he was everything they had ever wanted in a parent. A mother, a father and everything in between. Their center.

And they didn't want to lose him. So, they were more likely to try on their own than go to him for help. Still. She knew he wanted them to be safe as well. Resting her head on her shoulder she allowed herself to feel like a little girl. Safe in her father's arms. Then in the morning she would go, be Black Widow, the best SHIELD agent to date. Keeping her world, her family, safe. No matter what.

She also intended to give Fury a piece of her mind.

"Go with my blessings, _milaya_ ", Loki murmured in her ear. "You are the daughter of a god, never forget that."

Natasha hugged him a little bit harder. It had never felt more unappealing to go on a mission. But sometimes you had to put duty first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No surprise but, Google translate. 
> 
> *Child in Irish 
> 
> ** Sweetheart in Russian 
> 
> ♤♡◇♧ 
> 
> I don't have tumblr or Twitter. I have Instagram but I don't use and Facebook feels a bit too exposed. But I wanted a plattform where I could communicate with you guys outside of AO3. So, and it might just be a bit overkill, I have made a subreddit. 
> 
> r/ikajoverse 
> 
> It is public so you don't have to be a member to just read any posts. But you DO need to be a member to interact with me there. You can also use reddit to DM me.


	20. Chapter 20

It was so early that the sun had barely begun to rise. He liked beginning his run at this time. No pedestrians. Little to no traffic. If he were lucky he might even get some birdsong accompanying him. The air was slightly chill but crisp and at least felt clean. Sam frowned when he heard the sound of running feet coming closer rapidly. Very rapidly. 

"On your left", came a voice and he was passed by a man running like someone had set fire to his ass. Well, if he wanted to burn himself out it was up to him. Keeping to his steady pace he watched as the world went from dark to grey to colour. More cars was on the road. Then.

"On your left", came the _same_ voice. 

"Uh huh, on my left. Got it." Sam was amazed that the guy was still running at the same speed while somehow going in a big circle. He kept running. About ten minutes later he heard those rapid steps again. Looking over his shoulder he saw the same blond coming up.

"Don't you say it!" he exclaimed. "Don't you say it!"

"On your left."

"Oh come on!" Pushed by pure will the veteran started running faster. Wanting to get ahead even though he knew it was useless. He really should have known better. Collapsing against a tree he clutched his side. 

"You need a medic?" It was the obnoxious blond. The guy was built like a freaking Dorito. Wide shoulders and a broad chest.

"I need a new set of lungs", Sam complained. "Dude, you just ran like 40 miles in thirty minutes."

"I got a late start."

"Really? Shame on you. Go take another lap. Did you take it? I'm going to assume you took it."

Dorito-Man smiled and held out a hand, helping the black man to his feet. "Steve Rogers." Because of course he was.

"Kind of figured that one out. Sam Wilson."

"What unit were you in?" mr. Dorito asked while nodding to his shirt.

"Para-rescue. Two tours. Now I'm working down at the VA. What are you doing in Washington? I thought you were hunkered down in New York with the fancy tower and all."

"It is temporary", Rogers said. "They need me to take on a couple of missions."

"It had to be weird, coming out of the ice."

"It is not all bad. Food is better. No polio is good. Internet is very helpful. I've been able to gain new friends and family."

"That's nice. Let me know if you need some help filling in the gaps of what you've missed. And if you ever feel like coming to the VA to help me impress the receptionist you are welcome."

"I will think about it."

Sam felt his chest swell. He was able to have a conversation with Captain America and _not_ behave as a total fanboy. A car rolled up to the sidewalk were they stood. Black and sleek with tinted windows. One window opened revealing a good looking red-haired woman.

"Hi there, Fellas", she said. "I'm looking for a lost child. He is blond with blue eyes. Have you seen him?"

"Very funny", the blond chuckled. Before he left he shook Sam's hand again. "You can't run everywhere."

"No, you can't", the black man agreed with a smile. He tried to flirt with the woman but she just ignored him.

* * *

"I don't like this, Nick", Natasha said and crossed her arms. They were preparing to leave. "We could just tell him that there are two objectives. One to free the hostages and one to retrieve the information."

"It is better if as few as possible know", the director of SHIELD said. "I need you to do your job, agent Romanoff. Are you my top agent or a child?"

She made a face and said nothing. It wouldn't do to have an argument. Being at headquarters made her feel ill at ease. Had it been before she would have just followed order but this was different. Fury was telling her to lie to Steve. Ordering her, even.

"Is this about Loki", she asked.

"Not everything is about the bloody god of bloody mischief, Romanoff. I did my research and know he was telling the truth. But that was all in the past and changes nothing about the future."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

"You have you orders. Do. You. Understand?"

"I do. And I hope you are willing to take responsibility when Steve finds out. Because you are underestimating him."

* * *

He was angry. Very angry. But not so much at Nat. She had admitted to following orders and had even told him that she had wanted him to be in the know. No. He was pissed at Fury. The whole mission could have fallen apart because of secrets. What was the point of keeping secrets if all they did was hurting people?

Natasha had refused to look at him and was being miserable. Steve had tried to reassure her that he wasn't angry at her. He was frankly a bit worried. She seemed to be feeling sick. In the end he had used her phone to call up Loki, placing the phone near her ear.

"Papa?" Her voice had been so small and vulnerable as she gripped the phone. Knowing that their adoptive parent could help her more than he could the soldier slipped out. Remembering Wilson he decided to head to the VA. He came just as the man finished up a session of group therapy. 

"I didn't know you were a counsellor", he said as the man approached him. Sam smiled.

"I got the degree. Good to see you alive. Everything good?"

"Things are a bit strained at work. My sister and I are missing our father."

"Er..." the black man gave him an odd look. "You have a sister _and_ a father? Even though you've spent seventy years in ice?"

Steve actually found himself laughing. Patting the other on the shoulder. "Sorry. Guess I should explain it a bit better. Our _adoptive_ father. It is a bit complicated."

"So you are not related by blood?"

"We are but it is distantly. We share a common ancestor." Who was very much alive but no point in melting Wilson's mind. "Anyway, he is still in New York while we are here. Doing governmental work. They didn't let us bunk together so it is a bit rough."

"That sucks, man. I have another meeting soon but if you ever need my help..." Sam gave him his phone number and they parted ways. Even as he placed the number is his wallet he couldn't help but long for when their placement here would end.

* * *

The car flipped. Fury had barely time to react. He felt dizzy and his ears were ringing. Vaguely he was aware of footsteps coming closer. It had to be the masked man. There was no time. He had to get away. Getting the laser cutter out he quickly cut away the roof of the car alongside a few inches of road and dirt. Luck would have it that he was just above a service tunnel. By the time the man reached the car he was already gone.

Considering the situation he was surprisingly in fairly good condition. He didn't want to challenge that. There wasn't many places he could go. Most of his people were back at the Triskelion and he was suspicious about this attack. But there was one other option. Fury didn't care much for being related to Loki. As he had said. It was in the past and had nothing to do with him now. But the one person he could reach might be willing to listen based on that shared connection. 

At the very least it should mean he wouldn't be turned away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come hang out with me on the subreddit I made: r/ikajoverse


	21. Chapter 21

He stared at the empty space inside the vending machine. Where he had hidden the thumb drive. A loud pop behind made him turn. Natasha stood casually, wearing a hoodie while chewing. Steve breathed out.

"You figured it out", he said.

"You can be surprisingly crafty", she said. "We should move. This is not a place to cause trouble." The pair made their way through the corridors and out to to the parking lot. They needed a computer to find out why Fury would give them the drive. 

"Any suggestions?" the soldier asked.

"We can use a computer in the mall", the redhead said. "But we need better disguises."

"I don't know how much better we can get..."

"Not the usual way, no."

"Nat... what are you implying?"

"Papa is a natural shapeshifter. If not that we should be able to make illusions."

"Nat..." Steve shook his head. "He is a god. We... we are not..."

"But we are of his blood", Natasha insisted. "Bruce is learning to shapeshift, Tony is being taught how to use magic. There is no reason why we shouldn't be able to use magic as well. All we need to do is believe it." He hesitated. "He would want us to be safe."

It was a bit of a low blow but it worked. Sighing the blond closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He wasn't surprised that the engineer had found a way to use magic. Not with his mind. But it had until now felt a but out of the way for him. Opening one eye he saw his sister focusing as well. To clear his mind he walked off a bit. Just to get some quiet. Then he tried again. The problem was that he no idea where to begin.

"It sssstartssss with an image", a hissing voice said and he snapped his eyes open. Looking around he couldn't see anyone. "Lookissssie here." The voice came from his feet. Steve looked down and saw a... snake. It was small, no longer than his forearm and as thin as his thumb.

"It can't be you I heard", he muttered.

"And why issues that", the snake said. "We are ssssiblingssss."

Siblings? Wait...

"Who are you?"

"I am Jormungand", the snake said. 

"Oh... I thought you were bigger."

Jormungand hissed a laugh. "I am", he said. "My real body isss elsssewhere. This is but a sshhadow. I'm here to help."

"How?"

"I can teach you to make a glamour. An illusssion."

Steve swallowed. "Alright. How do I do this?"

"You are an artisssst. Make your mind your canvassss." Listening to the the hissed instructions the soldier felt something give. He stopped thinking of it as magic and started to think of it as art. It wasn't until Natasha snorted that he realised how focused he had been.

"You look like a black haired Thor", she said. Her own appearance had borrowed heavily from Loki. Especially hiding her red hair. "Who were you talking to?"

"I was talking to..." looking around showed that the snake was gone. It was as if it had never been there. "That's weird... he was here just a moment ago."

"Hmm... it doesn't matter. We need to go."

As they walked through the mall he paused at a mirror. Nat had been right. He did look like Thor. But with black hair. The combination made him and his sister seem to be biological siblings. It worked pretty well for a disguise. 

In the computer store the clerk seemed very impressed with Steve's physique. Natasha smiled widely. 

"We are surprising our dad with a trip", she said. "We are thinking Jersey or maybe Rhode Island."

"Cool. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help", the guy said and left them alone.

"We have five minutes starting... now."

Seeing the location chilled him to the bone. Knowing that they had no more time they hurriedly left the store. Steve tensed as the STRIKE team came closer. His sister grabbed his arm.

"We are wearing glamours", she reminded him. "They have no way of recognising us. Just walk normally and they won't pay us any attention." And like she had said, the two of them walked right passed the men. Soon they were out the door and on their way.

* * *

Steve's shield had protected them but they were still buried under a lot of debris. Her stomach was in knots. Howard Stark had been murdered. By Hydra. No matter what happened they would have to tell Tony. Or rather, they would tell Papa who could then tell him. Loki was more adept at handling them.

Both tensed as the debris started shifting. They didn't get any less tense when it was being removed. What if Hydra was waiting for them.

" _I have quite reckless siblings_ ", a voice sounded. It wasn't so much spoken as thought. Natasha felt Steve freeze. Finally the last debris moved and they came face to face with a huge wolf. " _Hi there, little brother, little sister._ " The beast stuck its head thought the hole and took a careful grip of her clothes with his teeth. It then lifted her up, setting her on her feet. Shaking she watched it repeat the process with her brother. Stumbling the soldier eyes the wolf.

"You are Fenris", he said. "The one who helped Tony."

" _The very same, little brother_ ", the wolf grinned. " _I felt your scent and then heard the great man-made thunder._ " The explosion. He, because it was a he, sniffed her curiously. Then he made small jumps, similar to a puppy.

"Hi", Natasha said and carefully petted the nose. Fenris wagged his tail a bit.

"Can you help us?" the blond asked.

" _What do you need?_ "

"I'm not sure... somewhere safe where we can regroup."

" _You want to go to Father?_ "

"No", the spy said. "Let's not involve him yet."

"Maybe..." the soldier pulled out a phone number and held it out. "Can you find the person who wrote this?"

Fenris sniffed the paper and wolf-grinned again. " _Easy. Hopp on my back little brother, little sister. I will take you there._ "

Apparently they were taking the canine bus.

* * *

Maria Hill held vigil over Fury as he healed. It was going much more rapidly than was humanly possible. If she didn't know better she would have assumed it was some kind of serum at work. But her superior didn't roll like that.

"If you got something to say, Hill, just say it", the man said.

"You are not telling me something", she said, crossing her arms. "I think it has to do with you healing this quickly."

"I can assure you, Hill. I had no idea this was even possible. 

"Then..."

"If we survive, I might tell you later. For now we need to focus."

"Rogers and Romanoff..."

"Are our toughest operatives. We got to have faith in them."

"Alright." She didn't have to like it to follow orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made saffron buns with white chocolate today. It has been years since I baked anything. Yet last week I made cookies and today I made buns. It feels pretty good.


	22. Chapter 22

The knock on his door came so early he wasn't initially sure he had actually heard it. When it came again he could at least say it was there. Opening the door Sam started a bit at seeing Mr. Dorito and his lady friend standing outside. Dressed in hoodies and smelling like wet dogs for some reason.

"I wouldn't bother you like this but we need a place to lay low", Rogers said.

"Everyone we know around here is trying to kill us", the woman said.

Looking around cautiously the black man opened the door a bit more. "Not everyone", he said and gestured for them to come inside. When they passed him they smelled even more of wet dog. "And I'm guessing you two could use a shower."

"That would be great. Thank you, Sam."

He let them be as he started to make breakfast. Not being entirely sure what they might like he ended up making far too much. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. Having placed it all on the table he headed upstairs to invite his guests. Hoping fervently that they would be interested in eating it. It wasn't that he intended to eavesdrop, he just accidentally heard them talking.

"You suspected something", Dorito-Man said.

"I have been feeling it for a while now", his lady friend admitted. "Like a discordant note on a violin. A chord not exactly right. It felt.. wrong. As if I was hearing lies."

"You didn't say anything when we were assigned here..."

"I wasn't sure what it was I was feeling. And... I knew you would go anyway."

"Hydra", Rogers muttered. A loud sigh. "We should call him. He would be able to help us."

"And what if we just put him in danger? I know he is a god", Sam wondered if he heard that last word correctly, "but he is not invincible. I never had a father, Steve. Or a mother. I don't want to lose him."

"None of us do, Natasha. But he would be devastated if we got hurt trying to protect him."

"What about a compromise?"

"Depends."

"What about not yet? If things escalate even more we call him."

"...alright."

Feeling like he had eavesdropped enough for one morning he knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, I made some breakfast. If you still eat things like that."

"Breakfast would be wonderful", Rogers said. "Thank you, Sam. We will be out of your hair soon."

Yeah, right. Captain America needed his help. How could he not help? If they all survived maybe they could introduce him to this mystery guy they kept referring to.

* * *

Hill showed them to the warehouse and there was Nick Fury. Presumed dead director of SHIELD. Steve's head was still spinning. Bucky. Bucky was alive. Something had obviously happened to him. A part of him wanted to get on the phone right there and then to call Loki. Another part, currently a louder part, told him this had just gotten personal. His adoptive father could undoubtedly end Hydra and do so easily. But he wasn't ready to hand this over. Not if he could still save his friend.

"I knew you weren't dead", Natasha told Fury. "Not with Papa's blood protecting you." The spy sighed.

"Romanoff, we might share blood - very distantly - but I will never be part of your little family", he said.

"I don't think that's how it works."

"We have more important things to handle right now."

The soldier jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Sam. He was watching Steve with worry.

"You okay? You've been out of it ever since you saw that guy."

"It's... complicated..."

"Uncomplicate it. Tell me."

"He... he was my friend. From before the ice. I saw him falling to his death. And now he is here. Alive and can't remember anything."

"I... that's... Yikes. And what's up with those two?" Wilson pointed to the trio of spies who were visibly on edge.

"Do you know who Loki is?"

"The would be conqueror of New York who was then proven innocent? Who doesn't?"

"He is a Norse god. An actual god. And Natasha, Fury and I are his mortal descendants."

"His... his what?!"

"During the past millennia he has had children with mortals. Both men and women. And we are some of his descendants."

"Some. There are more of you?"

"We are six in total that I know of. Five of us have since been adopted as his children. Nat is very close to him, that's why she is upset with Fury who almost reject the connection."

"Your life is crazy... Will you let me meet him?"

"That shouldn't be an issue", Steve smiled and then grew serious again. Addressing the others he asserted himself. "We need a plan. And quickly."

Thankfully they were professionals. Anything else could wait.

* * *

It was over. Three helicarriers was being brought up from the river. Sam turned a page in his book waiting for Rogers to wake up. He could guess who had been strong enough to cause injuries that bad. The sound of a slight commotion made him look up from his book. Outside a silky voice with a British accent was heard.

"He is my son. I have a right to see him", said the voice. There was some more barking from the guards posted outside. "You can confirm it if you wish but you can't stop me from seeing him."

It went quiet for a few moments before the door opened. A tall man with black hair walked in. He wore a green jumper and jeans. His green eyes went to the prone body on the bed.

"Oh, _leanbh*_ ", the man said and went to Rogers side. "Look at you. Do you have any idea how worried I was when I heard there was a manhunt for you two." Gentle fingers touched the swollen face. To Sam's astonishment the guy actually bent down and kissed the blond's forehead. When he straightened Dorito-Man blinked and opened his eyes a crack.

"Father?" he mumbled. "Is that you?"

"It is me, _leanbh_ ", the tall guy said. Clearing his throat Falcon made his presence known.

"Hi. Sam Wilson", he said.

"Ah, you are my children's companion. I am Loki. I thank you for your aid."

This was Loki? He looked like college student. 

"Father..." Rogers muttered.

"I'm here, my sweet. I'm here. Your brothers would have joined me but they felt it was more important to protect your sister for now. SHIELD is no more."

"Did they find someone else?"

"I haven't been told the details yet", the... god? said. "You need to focus on getting well. And I can help with that." Green light appeared around the dude's hands and he touched the swollen face.

Blinking Sam wasn't prepared to see the injuries melt. Away under the touch. No more swelling, no more cuts. The guy had already been healing quicker than normal but this was on a completely different level. Steve Rogers sat up carefully and wrapped his arms around the thinner man. Who turned his head to look at the black man.

"Do you think we could get some time alone?" It was politely worded but the tone left no room for argument. 

"I think I will get some coffee", Falcon said. He hadn't cleared the door when he heard a muffled sob coming from behind him. Only the gentle voice from the... dude... kept him from turning back around. Considering that the door locked on its own once he was out he was clearly not welcome anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As with Iron Man 3 Legacy style this was The Winter Soldier Legacy style. The parts I didn't include played out like they did in the movie. This goes for the last three chapters. Some dialogue I did borrow, like Steve trolling Sam during their first encounter. 
> 
> You can now hang out with me on reddit in the subreddit r/ikajoverse
> 
> * child in Irish


	23. Chapter 23

It was obvious to him that Steve and Natasha was numb with mental exhaustion. Especially his son seemed to be feeling particularly broken. So, he encouraged the other three to give the two some space while still showing their support. Tony quickly took care of the media backlash. Answering questions and reassuring the public. Telling them that the Avengers wasn't going anywhere and that he personally would finance them. He also took over responsibility for Damage Control.

In the meanwhile Loki saw to his children's well-being. Natasha was given the opportunity to cry her heart out and give her version of events. Something the god had learned over the years was how devastating it could be to not be believed. It was the one thing he had always given his children. Until proven otherwise, he would take them on their words. Believing them when no one else would. She was the one to tell him of their discovery regarding Tony's parents. About Howard Stark. The Trickster had never known his grandson but his heart ached anyway. Confirming with Steve he then spoke to the engineer. Who predictably didn't take it too well. In the end he calmed down though and started looking for remnants of Hydra. The god resolved to stop him before he let his urge for revenge go too far.

Then there was Steve. Listless. Absent-minded and a tendency for sudden bouts of crying. Moments during which he wouldn't allow anyone but Loki close. The small mercy was the newest member in the Avengers, Sam Wilson, who was turning out to be a great friend.

"Is he like us?" Clint had asked curiously at one point.

"Not so, my dear", the god said. "He is fully human. A good man from what I can tell but still purely human."

"Cool."

It was one afternoon while Loki was preparing dinner that his son approached him. The soldier had red-rimmed eyes, signs he had been crying again. He had been very reluctant to speak about what had happened and how he had ended up so injured. 

"Father?"

"Yes, _leanbh_ *?"

"I... I have something to ask of you..." Turning from the stove the god studied Steve silently. "There is someone... his name is Bucky. Or rather that's his nickname. We were best friends back before the ice. I thought he had died but instead he has spent all this years as a slave for Hydra."

"And you need my help to find him."

"I... yes..."

"Is he the reason you nearly died?"

"Father... please... he didn't know what he was doing. I'm sure of it. They did something to him. He didn't even recognise me."

It was rare that anyone asked anything from the Trickster. Even more rare from his own family. Coming from his children? Adopted or otherwise. It was no hesitation. 

"I will do whatever is within my power", he promised. "If your friend can be found and helped, I will strive to do so."

Tension bled from Steve's shoulders and he wrapped his arms around the god's back.

"Thank you... Dad."

It didn't escape Loki that his son had chosen a more intimate form of address. This Bucky had to mean a lot to him for that to happen. 

* * *

There were two sides of him. Had always been. Or maybe sides were the wrong word. Two personalities? Two layers? Either way there had always been a part of him that rested underneath the Winter Soldier. The part that saw everything. Knew what was happening and remembered. Hated all of it. Up until recently that part had existed without ever making itself known. Probably unable to break through. 

That changed with Steve.

Dragging his ass from the river had been the first step. Now the two sides of him was trying to merge together. And it was... messy. Because they had parts of one another that neither wanted and other parts that both coveted. The slumbering part knew Steve and wanted to find him. Sadly, that part wasn't really in charge. Instead it was the tortured and animalistic murder machine that was in charge. And it was scared. Terrified. 

All it knew it had to get away, keeping their head down and avoid detection. 

Which made running into a ridiculously handsome man a tad bit unexpected. That he found him just before he snuck onto a ship made the whole even more unexpected. Smartly dressed and with his hair slicked back from his face.

"James Buchanan Barnes, I presume", the man said. "You are a difficult man to find."

"What do you want?" the assassin growled.

"I'm here on behalf of my son. He really wants to see you saved and if such is possible I will make it happen."

"What does that even mean? Your son has nothing to do with me."

"I would say he disagrees. Steve Rogers. The name ring a bell no?" The slumbering part of his brain woke up a bit. _Steve_. Tilting his head the handsome man wrinkled his brow. "There is something there isn't it." Without warning he slammed his hand onto the assassin's forehead. Memories rushed through him. Dragged from the depth of his soul his true self was brought out. It didn't shake the Winter Soldier away but it did manage to somewhat merge them.

Blinking Bucky stared at the guy in front of him. After seventy years his mind was almost his own again. To his chagrin his face was grabbed as the man studied him. An almost clinical look on his face. The silly thing was that the former soldier felt kind of aroused by the action. It wasn't a harsh grip and it didn't hurt. More reminiscent of the doctors from his youth who had needed him to stay still.

"There is still something inside your mind. Something dangerous. I can't let you near my children while it is there." Barnes almost bucked when he felt it. Ice and fire searing through his brain. Grunting, groaning and whining he tried to force his way free but whoever mr. Handsome were super human strength had no effect on him. Then it stopped. And while he felt like he had been flayed there was also a lightness. 

"What did you do?" he said harshly, not bothering with the how.

"There were a brainwashing programme in your mind. I went ahead and removed it."

"Who the heck are you?"

"I am Loki, the god of mischief."

"A... god? For real?"

"I ensure you that I am very real. I would prefer if you came with me." Bucky shook himself. The hand had released his jaw and he was being scrutinised. "I fear you might cause some conflict between two of my sons but it can't be helped."

"Your sons? Wait. You mentioned Steve. There is no way you are Steve's dad!"

"Adoptive father. Though the full extent of our relationship is a tad bit complicated", the until then harsh face softened. "I know you didn't act as the Winter Soldier by choice and Steve really wants to see you again. Would you come with me?"

Massaging his jawline the former soldier thought about it. He had a thousand questions but those could wait. From what Mr. Handsome had said there were more trouble to come. And after all that had happened he would rather face it now than later.

"Alright. But I want to know what I'm walking into."

"Fair enough. Another of my sons is Tony Stark, the son of Maria and Howard Stark. He will not take the news easily."

Oh. Yeah, that would be a shit-show for sure.

"Let's get this over with, handsome." He didn't understand why the guy suddenly looked at him with a whole lot more interest than before. It didn't matter because the next second they were somewhere completely different. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you guys seen the new trailers from Marvel? If not, I definitely recommend you check them out. 
> 
> *child in Irish 
> 
> You can hang out with me on r/ikajoverse on Reddit.


	24. Chapter 24

He was many things but stupid wasn't one of them. It wasn't that hard to put two and two together. The man standing before him, former sergeant Barnes, had been a pawn of Hydra. And at that moment Tony hated him.

"You killed my parents!" he screamed and tried to lunge at him. Tried. Because Loki was holding him back. "You killed my mom!"

Barnes backed up with his hands raised. Face pale. The engineer tried to get out of the god's arms but of course he couldn't. After all, the Trickster was much stronger than them and even with magic he had centuries to his months.

"Tony", Loki said soothingly. "You need to calm down."

"He killed them! He killed your grandson!" It was a low blow and he knew it. This was still a person he had come to love dearly. 

"I know, _bambino_ *", his most important person said. "I know." There were genuine grief in his voice. For a man he had never known. "But _bambino_ , I saw his mind."

That, more than anything made Tony deflate. He stopped struggling and collapsed against his Gran-Gran's chest. Crying.

"I never got to say goodbye", he wept. 

"Few ever do. I'm not saying you have to like him. I'm asking you to forgive him like you did me once", the god petted his hair. "For Steve's sake if nothing else."

He had not even thought about Steve. Glancing to the side he saw the super soldier standing with his head hanging in shame. The blond had been looking like shit ever since his stay in the hospital. Sighing the engineer untangled himself from Loki and went over to his brother, pulling him unto a hug. Clearly startling him.

"Tony?"

"I won't kill him and I won't chase him off. Alright? I'm angry and I'm hurting. But I get it, it is not his nor your fault." The following bearhug pushed the air from his lungs but it was worth it. When he was released he looked at Barnes who backed away again.

"There is just one thing I really, really want to know", he said and looked over at their adoptive parent. "Is he related to us?"

"I don't think so but I can perform the spell anyway."

"Maybe that's for the best."

Making the now familiar gesture the flames appeared in their chests. Burning much brighter than before. It was almost odd, seeing it. And Barnes' chest was blessedly empty. He wasn't related to any god.

"Welcome to the madhouse", Clint quipped and grinned. "I hope you will survive the experience."

To his credit the sergeant only raised an eyebrow.

* * *

In a gesture of generosity Tony had provided Bucky with an apartment of his own. It was generic and was likely meant for guests. There were more apartments on the same floor and the flat itself had two rooms in addition to the small kitchen and the bathroom. Steve fidgeted as his friend looked around.

"This is bigger than the apartment we shared back in Brooklyn", the brunett noted. "It is pretty nice."

"I'm sure we can put some personal touches on it. And I have no doubt Dad will insist that you eat with us."

"About that", the former soldier crossed his arms. "Why are you calling the guy 'Dad' and who is he, really?"

It was not an unexpected question. Sitting down on the beige sofa the blond pondered how to explain. "His name is Loki and he is a Norse god", he began.

"A god... yeah, he said something like that."

"You know those flames you saw?"

"Yeah? What about them?"

"They show up in someone who shares his blood."

"Oookay..."

Steve rolled his shoulders. This was harder than he expected. Tony had managed to explain to his friends and Loki had explained the whole thing to all of them.

"Just... just bear with me. Apparently there are gods all over the universe and they have one habit in common. Having children with mortals. Over the centuries Loki have had several children with mortals. And we, the Avengers are his destiny. Tony is the closest since Loki is his great grandmother."

"Grand _mother_. Not grand _father_?"

"Grandmother. He is a shapeshifter and has taken on the form of both men and women over the years. Although I don't think it matters all that much which gender he is currently. If he wants to become pregnant he can make it happen. The two times I've heard about he actually married a mortal man so it made sense that he was a woman."

"Right. Let me see if I have gotten this right. Mr. Handsome is a Norse god who has had many kids with humans and somehow all of his descendants ended up in the same place?"

"Some of them. I would be surprised if there aren't more. Tony likely have third cousins or something. We don't know if it was coincidence or fate."

"And what about you calling him 'Dad' of all things?"

"He has adopted us, on our request. He is both our ancestor and our father. Or mother. Depending on how you look at it."

"Huh. Guess that's neat. You lost both your parents after all. Do you know which side you are related to him?"

"My Pa's", Steve smiled. "My human ancestor was an artist. A woman from Ireland. According to Dad she was a very kind person who he cared for deeply. He even protected her from the man she was made to marry. Who wasn't a good person."

"He is something else, that's for sure."

* * *

It was seldom he cursed his own nature but this was certainly one of those times. He didn't miss the looks Barnes sent his way. Curious, fascinated and interested. And underneath it all a certain amount of desire. Still small and probably not very noticeable even for the man himself. Loki tried to ignore it. But he was a god. And gods were drawn to mortals. Especially mortals who was showing interest in them. He knew that if the mortal man would show even the tiniest bit more interest in him he would be done for.

And he felt like he would betray his children if he gave in. Specifically Tony but Natasha also had a history with Barnes and there was no saying how Steve would take it. So, he was determined that he for once wouldn't give into his own nature.

Even though it was quite difficult. Because of course the man was exactly his type. Not in looks perhaps but definitely in term of personality. Cocky, steady and with a strong mind. Even damaged as Barnes had been his mind was still intact. Speaking of strength and a will to survive. Things Loki had always been drawn to.

So he silently cursed his own nature and hoped he could hold out. At least until his children had gotten to know their new teammate. He did had hope it would work out because the one to invite Barnes to join them had been Tony.

Of course, he could be wrong and the man had no interest in the god. Loki wasn't sure if he liked or hated the prospect. 

His pondering was interrupted by the engineer who stormed in with unusual energy.

"Hi Gran-Gran!" he almost shouted with nervous energy. "I have something for you." The others were also on the common floor, just spending time together. Standing the god went over to his son.

"Easy, _bambino_. What is it?"

"Hold out your hands." Doing as he was asked the Trickster still startled when a cat was placed in his arms. He stumbled a bit as he took a careful hold of the animal. It was an adult, that much was obvious. With black fur and bright, yellow eyes. Meowing it sniffed him curiously and allowed him to hold it. Loki looked at Tony who was still acting nervously. 

"You are my Gran-Gran and everyone knows grandmothers have cats", he mumbled. "I... er... borrowed... one of you shirts and brought it to a shelter. The first cat to lay down on it was the one I brought home. His name is Aiden and they think he is three years old."

Petting the soft fur the god couldn't help but smile. As Lena Valencio later Starq he had had a cat. It had been a gorgeous tabby that his girls had loved. Aiden. It was a good name for an obviously good natured cat. A loud purr was already laudable and the tomcat rubbed his head against the Trickster. 

"Welcome to the family, Aiden", he said.

"I hope you bought litterboxes as well", Natasha said. "And food. Not to mention toys."

"What do you take me for?" Tony protested.

"Someone who acts on impulse?" Bruce asked mildly. "I'm kind of guessing that you have no idea what a cat needs."

"Well..."

"I had a cat growing up", Barnes said. "I could help picking out some stuff. If... you would be okay with that..."

"As long as you don't make fun of me Bucky Bear."

"Er... what did you call me?"

"That's how you know he likes you", Steve chuckled. "You are not the only one he calls 'bear'. He calls Bruce Brucie Bear. You should hear what he calls me."

Burying his face in the black fur Loki started to relax. Maybe his family would be well after all. If Tony was willing to interact with Barnes like this it was hopeful. Because the god truly loved his sons and daughters. And now he had the opportunity to live with them, care for them. That was more important than anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child in Italian.


	25. Chapter 25

The five of them were gathered on the same floor. Just spending quiet time together. It had been Bruce's idea. A way to just reconnect. Loki had gone out for a while, bringing Barnes with him. His explanation was that the former sergeant could use some recreation after his decades of being a prisoner of war. There wasn't much you could say in argument against that.

They were not talking. At least not for now. That had been part of the idea. Spending time together without actually demanding attention or doing a group activity. As a result most of them were reading or fiddling with a device. Or reading on a device. It was peaceful. All of them had started to learn magic under their adoptive parent's tutelage. Since they had all shown aptitude for it. Even the god himself wasn't sure exactly why they had started to use magic. Apparently it had not been among the skills his children had ever shown. Though the Trickster obviously didn't really care about the why and was more interested in making certain that they could use it now that they had it.

"So", Clint said lightly. "What do we think about the fact that Barnes is making oogly eyes at Pops?"

Bruce wanted to hide his face in his hands, or better yet, smack the archer. The reactions were predictable. Natasha narrowed her eyes, Steve looked both uncomfortable and embarrassed while Tony was straight up murderous. 

"If he lay as much as one hand on Gran-Gran I will blast him to Valhalla", the engineer said.

"Even if Bucky is attracted to Dad it doesn't mean Dad is interested", the soldier tried. "And we know he doesn't need protection."

"That is true", the redhead said. "But Barnes is also his type. We all know Papa is drawn to those who challenge authority."

"Frankly", Clint said. "I don't care. If Pops wants to be with Barnes I don't mind."

"Heck no!" Tony scowled at the stocky blond. "If Gran-Gran is going to hook up with someone I'd rather it be Rhodey!"

"Colonel Rhodes isn't his type", Natasha said. "Too rigid and too likely to follow authorities over his own morals."

"But..."

"We can't ask him to choose", Bruce said quietly and they turned to him. "Loki would sacrifice his own happiness in an instant for our sake. In fact, I'm sure he is already doing so. Because he knows it might make us unhappy. But at the end of the day he is still a god and for our sake he is denying a part of himself to make us happy." The four of them stared down on the floor. "We shouldn't make him make that choice just because it makes us uncomfortable."

They didn't say anything else.

* * *

Settijg down the heavy grocery bags Loki greeted Aiden who was meowing insistently, wanting attention. The cat had grown accustomed to life in Avengers Tower remarkably quickly. Despite being filled to the bring it wasn't the weight that bothered him but rather the bulk. He intended to make everyone's favourites over the course of the week and made his purchases in preparation for that. The elevator door opened and Bruce stepped out. Wringing his hands awkwardly. 

"I was thinking that maybe you could use some help..." he mumbled, shifting nervously. The doctor had nearly gained full control of his transformations and no longer reacted to outside stimulus. That didn't make years of shy and nervous behaviour go away. 

"You can help if you want", the god said, knowing that out of all his children this one was the one most hesitant in asking for comfort. In reaching out. If it was because of his childhood or his later trauma the Trickster didn't know. What he did know was that while Bruce never initiated physical contact he did relish in it. 

"I could cut stuff", he said in a quiet voice. Loki slowly reached out and carefully pulled his son into a hug. Noting that the quiet man was trembling. 

"What is the matter, _kjære_ *?"

"I just... are we a burden to you?"

"Whyever would you think that?"

"That's... I just don't want you to deny yourself happiness for our sake..."

"What is this about, Bruce? What is it about, truly?"

Taking a shuddering breath his son actually hugged him with more strength than his frame would suggest. "I know you are attracted to Barnes", Bruce said, surprising the god. "And none of us had missed that he is of the same opinion. About you, I mean. Not about himself. I... I don't want you to hold backnfor our sake..."

"Thank you, _kjære_. Do you want to make dinner together."

"That would be nice."

* * *

Returning after a week at the farm was bittersweet. He loved his family. Both sides. But he sometimes wonder if he was sacrificing his kids' childhood for the sake of his job. Natasha knew but she didn't understand. He needed someone to talk to. Someone who could understand. Which meant only one person.

"Pops?" Clint said as he walked out of the elevator on Loki's floor.

"Yes, _hjärtat_ **?" The god looked up from his... knitting. He was making socks from the looks of things. Small socks.

"I kind of need someone to talk to."

"You are always welcome to talk to me", the Trickster said and patted the seat beside him. 

"I know but I don't want Jarvis to overhear me." The archer sat down beside him. Wondering who the pink socks were for.

"He isn't recording on my floor", Loki said calmly. "I wanted this to be a safe place so I made certain of it."

"You are the best, Pops."

"Thank you, dear. What can I do for you?"

"It has to do with the farm. I... I'm kind of wondering if I'm doing the right thing. My kids barely see me since I'm away all the time and out of everyone here only you and Natasha know they exist. Fury did but he isn't here, since he is playing dead."

"Doing the right thing is never straightforward. Everytime I returned to Asgard I had the choice of bringing my children with me but I didn't. Even when it meant leaving them behind forever."

"Yeah, well, wouldn't they have been treated horribly in Asgard because they were mostly mortal?"

"Indeed. And that's why I didn't. It was kinder to leave them on Midgard. I have never seen Narfi and Vali because it is safer for them to never know me. I'm missing their whole life so that they may have one. I've told no one and to my knowledge Sigyn is not telling anyone who the father is. Maybe she told them, I know not. You being in the Avengers may mean that you sacrifice time you could spend with them. But it is time you spend to keep their world safe. I'm sure they understand that."

And like that the guilt and tension just melted away. Clint threw his arms around his father and didn't let go for a while. Loki let him hold on for as long as he needed. Which frankly was a while. 

"Who are you making the socks for?" he asked after a long while. 

"...I'm actually making them for your daughter. Lila was it?" The god chuckled when he saw the archer's expression. "I won't deny I hope to see them one day. After all, they are technically my grandchildren."

"Heh, I've actually been telling them about you. They would be stoked meeting you." Letting go the blond instead leaned against the taller man, relishing in the easy comfort. "If you want to hook up with Barnes I'm cool with it. Though Cooper and Lila might have opinions about having uncles or aunts that are younger than them."

Loki snorted. "Thank you, _hjärtat_. I will keep that in mind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *kjære translates to dear or sweetheart. 
> 
> **the literal translation of hjärtat is the heart but the _meaning_ is a keen to sweetheart or dear and is generally used towards young children. Going forward I will translate it to sweetheart.


	26. Chapter 26

He felt embarrassed. Awkward. Unsure. Now that he had been told he could see it. Bucky was definitely attracted to Loki. And Steve wasn't sure how he was supposed to react. Because this was on one hand his best friend but on the other hand it was his dad. It was confusing and he had had quite enough of that.

"Well, you are looking gloomy", the former soldier said and flopped down on the empty sofa on the blond's floor. "Did a girl reject you again?"

"I haven't even tried in a long time", Steve muttered. "It is about... something else..."

"Alright. But man, the future is weird. The food taste different, people carries around small super machines in their pockets and you can find out things with a few clicks."

"Are you talking about the Internet?"

"Yeah. Duh. Hey, what happened to that other guy? The one with wings?"

"You mean Sam? He still lives in Washington even if he visits sometimes. A facility is being built upstate and he will join us there once it is finished."

"Maybe we should meet before that. Unless he wants to kill me of course."

"I'm sure it won't come to that." Steve studied his old friend. The years had not been kind to him, there was a tiredness set in his shoulders that wasn't likely to just go away. He was gaunt but a steady intake of food would likely change that. Then there were the metal arm. Since Bucky was only wearing a tanktop it was fully visible. Including the ugly scarring around his shoulder.

"See something you like", the brunett joked and smirked. It was certainly easy to see why Loki might find himself drawn to the man.

"Bucky... are you in love with my dad?" the soldier asked solemnly, making his friend sputter.

"What kind of question is that?!" he demanded. "I haven't been in love with anyone for seventy shity years. I have never even met your dad, he died remember. Before you were freaking born!"

"I'm talking about Loki."

Some of the heat died down only to be replaced by a slight blush. "Oh... right... I forgot about that little detail..." Bucky sighed. "Look, the guy is sexy as heck. I mean, have you seen that ass? Not to mention those cheekbones..."

"I really don't want to hear my dad described like that", the blond said, shuddering. 

"...sorry. I keep forgetting... uh... yeah... I think he is handsome and very sexy but... he is a guy, you know. That's illegal."

"Two things, Buck. One, same-sex relationships are no longer illegal. In fact you can get married in New York State since twenty eleven. Two, even if it was illegal that wouldn't stop my dad. He's a god after all and he can change into a woman at will. He has even given birth several times."

"Oh... uh..."

"I think you should be more worried about how Tony might take it. And Natasha. You are not their favourite person."

"Steve... I'm not my own favourite person. Does it really matter if I find Mr. Handsome attractive? It is not like anything will come of it."

"Do you want it to?"

"Do _you_?!"

That was the question wasn't it.

* * *

It wouldn't have been an understatement to say that she was trashing the gym. All her pent-up emotions had finally demanded an outlet. Crying could only do so much. So trashing things it was. Natasha was too focused on letting out her anger that she didn't realise the door had opened until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping she came face to face with her Papa. Loki had a worried frown on his brow.

"Are you alright, _milaya*_?" he asked.

"Just ventilating a bit", she said. A gentle hand reached out and stroked some of her hair behind an ear.

"I know one thing or two about pent-up anger. And about letting it out. What is eating you?"

"What isn't? SHIELD is gone, Fury is in hiding and I'm living with a murderer."

"Which one of us?" Natasha flinched a bit at the casual tone. Loki gave her a soothing smile. "It is easy to throw accusations around. But sometimes our anger is rooted in fear."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Very much so. I have acted out as much in anger as I have in fear. Often mistaking one for the other. I've also mistaken the lack of love for hatred."

"Aren't they the same?"

"Love and hatred are two of the most intense emotions you can feel. To hate someone or something you have to feet intensely. Almost as intensely as when you love someone or something. The lack of love, _milaya_ , is apathy. Indifference. It is scarier than any hatred or disdain." Her Papa held out his arms and she threw herself into his embrace. "You are feeling lost. A lot of the things you tied your identity to has disappeared and now you are not certain how define yourself."

"I have always been something", she admitted. "An assassin, an agent, an Avenger. But there was always someone else behind me. Now... there is no one."

"That's not entirely true. You have me."

"You are not a handler..."

"No. I'm something better", Loki tilted her head up and kissed her forehead. "I'm your father and me you can never lose."

"Even if you get together with Barnes?"

"Even then. I'm not the kind to ignore those that I cherish for something newer and shinier. I'm the kind to hold my loved one close and never let go. Besides, I wouldn't be with anyone that made any of you unhappy."

Damn Bruce and his words. Their father was really willing to sacrifice his own happiness for their sake. She couldn't be that selfish. 

"I rather you be with someone that makes you happy, Papa. I don't hate Barnes. It is just... complicated."

The god chuckled. "All relationships are complicated, one way or another. You can love someone and hate them, all at the same time. You can be in a crowd yet feel lonely. You can have a family that is both distantly related and closely knit, all at the same time."

"Maybe you should be the god of wisdom instead of mischief." Natasha relished hearing the rumble of her Papa's laughter.

"Maybe. And remember, _milaya_ , even when I'm not available you are not alone. Every single one of your brothers is standing by your side."

Sighing she let the anger and tension drain away. She really loved her family. And she wanted Loki to be happy. Because that would make her happy. 

* * *

Everyone seemed to come around to the idea of Loki and Barnes hooking-up. Except perhaps the two of them. But not Tony. Nope. He refused to even entertain the idea. The idea of anyone taking his Gran-Gran filled him with a sense of hopelessness. Even though he might have been fine with Rhodey Natasha had a point. That would never happen. His buddy has a bit of a wild streak sometimes but on the whole? He was straight laced. The type who followed orders. How else could he have made a career in the army?

Making him very much not the type Gran-Gran favoured. 

Being a genius and all that the engineer had been able to figure out what drew the god towards a mortal. It wasn't just someone who was defiant or anarchistic, even if he probably was amused by them. No, it was the outsider. The one black sheep in a flock of white. Not even black sheep. The grey one. Or the pig in the middle of a herd of cows. 

And he was using too many animal metaphors.

Either way. The people Loki favoured was those who society deemed to be weird. Outliers. Even Fury's supposedly sexy ancestor fitted the description. As the leader of a tribe he had always been on the outside. Not that Tony had to look that far. His own family spoke for itself. An inventor ahead of his time who struggled to connect with the people around him. The very same traits that made the Trickster befriend him in the first place. Traits Tony shared and that his father had shared before him. 

Though the cocky attitude could have come from his Gran-Gran, now that he was thinking about it.

"There you are!" Tony looked up, realising he had been lost in his thoughts. Holding Aiden the god was coming towards him, smiling. Until he came closer, smile turning into a frown. "Is something wrong, _bambino_ **?"

The engineer was on his feet in an instant, throwing his arms around Loki's waste. Hiding his face. Until he felt sharp claws dig into his skin. Backing away he received a glare from the cat who jumped out of the god's arms.

"That thing has needles on his feet", he muttered.

"I doubt you would enjoy being smashed between two giant beings", his Gran-Gran said with an amused smile. Slumping against the man Tony felt like crying.

"Don't leave me behind", he whimpered.

"What is this about, _bambino_?"

"You will hook-up with Barnes, have a few kids and then forget all about me. Your useless, already grown man-child of a kid."

"Oh, Tony... _bambino_..." strong arms pulled him into a tight hug. Rocking him. "You are _not_ useless. You are my beloved son. I could never forget about you."

"So you say but if you have other kids..."

"Then I won't love you any less. Love isn't a finite resource, darling. Love is the one thing that is truly infinite, that you get more of the more you give." Loki combed through Tony's hair with his fingers, still rocking him. The engineer realised he was crying, which was embarrassing. "I have never forgotten about a single child I have had. Not a day goes by when I'm not wishing I could have spent more time with them. That I would have defied Odin and just remained in their lives until the very end. Just like I intend to do this time."

"But if you have babies..."

"I will still love you and remain in your life. My love won't run out, Tony. There is literally nothing you could do or be that would make me love you any less. The only thing you can do is make me love you more. That doesn't mean there won't be times when I might be angry or disappointed. That is life. But even then, I won't love you any less."

No one had ever told him that. Not even his mom and certainly not his dad. Relaxing the engineer accepted that even if Loki and Barnes were to become a couple and have children, it would change nothing about his own relationship with the god. Priorities might change and compromises would be had to be made. But that didn't mean he would lose anything. He was an adult, he had his own life. How could he deny his Gran-Gran the same thing?

Besides, it wasn't like he would ever have to think of Barnes as his dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweetheart (Russian) 
> 
> **child (Italian) 
> 
> Just... I keep including these translations because I don't want you guys to have to go back and forth trying to find out what they meant. I think it is better that you can look in the notes of the same chapif you need it. I know it can be a hassle myself. For the same reason I'm not using Cyrillic letters for the Russian. A reader should be able to tell how a word is pronounced rather than guessing or finding out after having read the whole chapter. Also, I would have no idea if they are correct or not. Japanese I could handle since I've studied the Japanese but in this story Loki doesn't have Asian descendants 😆


	27. Chapter 27

Steve was the last of his children to give his blessings. Which was kind of hilarious since he had never actually asked for it in the first place. It was also very sweet. Their concern for his well-being and happiness. It did make it easier to relax and not overthink his position. Loki kissed his son's head and thanked him. Chuckling as the blond pulled him into a hug. Disguising how heartbreaking he found it that all five of his children seemed so touchstarved. Even Tony and Clint that had significant others acted in this manner. Like it was momentous that a parental figure could be tender with them. Natasha he could easily see why she was so eager and he figured that those seventy years in the ice had been felt somewhere. Regardless of the how and why.

He was more than willing to give that tender love to them when they needed it. His own parents had not been much for hugs and Thor's had dried up. Something he had never managed to grasp. How could you deny a child your love if they needed it? If it wasn't for the fact that he had felt pressured to leave Midgard... then his children would never have been without him.

And now his children were giving him their blessings even as they begged him to not leave them behind. Like he ever could. Having more children wouldn't make him ignore those he already had. Silently he hoped Hela was punishing those who had made his children and descendants feel that way.

Looking decidedly lighter and and happier Steve left the common floor. Actually passing James on the way. The former soldier looked much better than he had. Still a bit scruffy but no longer gaunt and tired. His hair was loose around his shoulders. Dressed in a simple t-shirt and and jeans he was definitely very handsome. More than his looks it was his heart that drew Loki. Buried under years of hurt was a mischievous soul who was meant to smile a lot more. The man gave the blond an amused glance before seeming to halt as he spotted the god. Giving the Trickster a very telling once over.

Interesting. 

Loki walked up to him, placing a hand on his chest. When the man didn't react he stepped in closer until they were a few inches apart. Still Barnes didn't back away or seemed disgusted. A good sign. Even better was the way his pupils was dilating. Heat filling his limbs. Closing the last inches the god kissed the former sergeant, dragging his hand down the firm chest slowly. A hand combed through his hair as a metal limb dragged him closer. Good. Very good. It had been a long time since he had been with a man, as a man himself. 

Slowly sinking down on his knees the Trickster pressed his face to the jeans clad crouch, hands slipping from James' back down his ass to his thighs. It was very satisfying hearing the small hitch of breath.

"Hang on", the mortal said in a strained voice. "If any of the others see us they will murder me for defiling their... whatever you are..."

Unlikely, since they had all told him they approved. They might want to bleach their eyes though. Which should certainly be avoided.

"If we were to change location?" he said, not moving from his position on the floor.

"Uh... yeah? Yeah. Maybe my flo..." the former soldier didn't have time to say anything more as Loki teleported them to his bedroom. "Woah! Okay... right.. magic. Magic is cool."

"It can do a lot", the god agreed and used a small amount to open the buckle on the belt, the botton and pulled down the sipper. The jeans was loose enough to obey gravity. Now there was only James' underwear that separated the Trickster from his goal. And what a goal. The member was hardening rapidly before his eyes. He mouthed it carefully through the fabric, earning a litany of creative curses in response. Slowly he removed the underwear as he let the length slip into his mouth. 

There was no way a human, a mortal, could hold back when he used his fabled silvertongue. He had literally a millennia of experience to draw upon. And he employed all of it. Barnes wasn't like his usual lovers though. Even as he shuddered with the intense orgasm he pulled Loki to his feet, smashing their lips together. Still hard. Allowing the other to take charge he was soon undressed and directed to the bed.

He had always liked being like this. There was something special about giving himself over to another man. Regardless of the body he inhabited in that moment. It was one of the reasons he had accepted being married for a few decades. Relished it even. As the former soldier bent to kiss the god his hair got in the way and he attempted to spit it out of his mouth, making increasingly frustrated noises as the brown tresses refused to cooperate. Loki snorted and with a simple caress he used magic to tie the hair back. It earned him a smile and he was then kissed thoroughly. 

"If you want me", he said. "You can have me."

"Just give me a proper funeral when the others kill me", James quipped.

"Oh, I don't think that will happen. Not after they have all given me their blessings", smirking the god wanted to laugh at the utterly aghast expression his soon-to-be lover made. "If you leave me on the other hand, I can't give any guarantees."

"You are damn bastard", the brunett laughed. "I guess having a literal god for a boyfriend would be pretty neat." They didn't really talk after that. On the ground of being way too busy.

* * *

Watching Loki interact with the Avengers was kind of weird. Especially considering their own, recent, relationship. All of them were clingy. Even Steve who had never behaved that way for as long as Bucky had known him. It was like they became five year old children. Wanting constant hugs and relished in small gestures of love. He wouldn't say it bothered him. But it was still weird. Four grown ass men and one grown as woman, becoming clingy kids around the god. Who let them.

Just like that very moment. The Trickster was sitting on the common room sofa, knitting. Seriously knitting. On one side he had Romanoff resting her head on his shoulder, curled up against him. On the other side Stark was leaning against him. It would look casual if you didn't know. The guy was fiddling with his phone and wasn't even looking at Loki. Yet, he could have chosen any other seat. Literally. Both of them sometimes gave him _looks **.**_ Warning him. Yeah, if he and the god ever broke up he would probably have to look into some kind of refugee program because they _would_ hunt him down. Either to kill him or throw him in the deepest dungeon they could find.

Good thing he had no intention of ending this. His boyfriend was awesome. Handsome, sexy and powerful. He was also funny and obviously intelligent. At one point he had also turned into a woman. Which opened up a whole world of possibilities on its own.

Loki wasn't quiet as he knitted. He was telling them stories about people he had known. Using names that seemed to hold significance to the two. Bucky had been told the light version. An explaination that was easier to follow than Steve's rambled attempts. Speaking of whom. 

The blond stepped out on the floor. As he saw the former soldier he blushed and averted his eyes. Like he felt embarrassed and even more awkward than usual. Which. Okay. Fine. Technically he was dating his friend's father. That didn't mean that their friendship was shot. Nor did it mean he had any intention of becoming some kind of stepfather. He doubted any of them would want that as well.

Seeing the super soldier the god smiled, put down his knitting and stood. Much to the dismay of his... kids?

"I need to make dinner, _milaya*. Bambino**._ " The Trickster chuckled and petted their heads. As he passed Bucky he gave the brunett a quick kiss on the cheek before heading into the kitchen followed by Steve.

It was weird. It was awkward. And it perfectly summed up his life. So in a way, it made perfect sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweetheart (Russian) 
> 
> **child (Italian) 
> 
> Look at me earning that explicit tag. You know when some fanfic writers jump between perspectives like, every paragraph? I have tried to come up with a name for it and have finally settled on calling it ping pong perspective. I won't lie, I don't like it. It looks bad and isn't good writing.


	28. Chapter 28

Sweat was running down his face as he concentrated. The images assaulting his mind was harrowing. Things he in a better world would never have had to remember. Or experience in the first place.

"You are doing well, _kjære*_ ", Loki's voice drifted across his consciousness. "Don't let it control you." Bruce felt his strength flag and the assault on his mind disappeared immediately. Panting hard he gladly took the water handed to him by Natasha who would be next. Ever since they had started to show aptitude for magic their adoptive father had been adamant he would teach how to defend against psychic and mental attacks. Apparently the very power that protected you also left you vulnerable. It was how the god had been influenced by the Sceptre in the first place. 

Having a parental figure intentionally mess with your brain probably sounded abusive but... it didn't feel that way. The Trickster had pointed out that any attacker would target their worst memories and insecurities. And a villain wouldn't stop when it became too much. Seeing as he had just gained full control of his transformations he had no desire to have an accidental Code Green because someone was messing with his brain. Loki at least wasn't trying to hurt any of them. Quite the opposite. 

"Your mental barriers are getting stronger", his father said, giving Bruce an encouraging smile.

"Doesn't feel like it..."

"Nonsense. You are doing better than you think. Protecting yourself against any mental manipulation is difficult. Especially when you have baggage."

The scientist didn't argue. He got to his feet, his legs shaking. Making his way over to the fairly ladden table. It was full of sugary treats. At first he had been horrified by the sheer amount of sweets. Now he was thankful for it. Using magic, or Seidr as the god called it, took a lot of energy that was difficult to replace on a normal diet. Even just eating more didn't cut it. Sugar was the easiest way to replenish your energy when using magic. 

No wonder Loki looked so thin. He used magic constantly. 

On the mat Natasha took his place. They were always trained in pairs instead of one-on-one or all of them. Chewing on a few marshmallows he watched as his sister was put through her paces. The two of them were the ones who struggled the most with their mental barriers. Tony was a close second. Tgat Steve had a good mental fortitude was perhaps not that surprising but that Clint was the mentally strongest out of them had been. Supposedly it had something to do with him already having had experienced a mental takeover. He knew what to look for. The engineer struggled because he couldn't make himself focus on one thing at a time.

"That's it, _milaya**_ ", the god said softly. "Be like the willow, let the storm come, bend but not break. The grass in the field, the dandelion seed in the wind. Flexibel." Sweat was beading the redheads brow as she struggled to follow the instructions. They were familiar to Bruce. Being told that you mental barriers shouldn't be a wall because a wall can be knocked down felt... contradictory. But, doing as Loki told them worked better. It was always harder to fight to stop the images than making yourself feel them while remaining above them.

Bruce mused that it suggested that Steve was less rigid than they assumed. Or simply more in touch with his vulnerability. Or both. It could be both.

A sob brought him out of his musings. Natasha was crying, hiding in their father's arms. That happened from time to time. He had also cried many times after a session. The god was stroking her hair soothingly murmuring to her. Likely acknowledging her emotions even while comforting her.

The Avengers were very lucky to have their father in their lives.

* * *

It wasn't easy for Steve to see his best friend dating him dad but he wasn't going to let that cause any problems. Because he could that it made both of them happy. Very happy. How could he let his personal discomfort disrupt that? So, he didn't. Bucky was looking at the black and white photograph that had been the start of everything. 

"He really makes for a gorgeous woman", the former soldier noted. "Not that he isn't gorgeous as a man but it is remarkable how suited his features are to a female body. Did he really give birth to all three kids?"

"He did. Or rather, she did", the blond said. "He also married Clint's mortal ancestor who was a man. I understand that wasn't the first time either. That he gave birth I mean. Supposedly it was his first marriage. I... hope it doesn't bother you..."

"Steve... Loki is a thousand years old _god_. I wouldn't be bothered if he had fucked his way across the world. Heck, there are people who would be way worse than that if they could."

True. His dad had explained that it wasn't the sex that had mattered to him. It was the connection. That feeling of someone understanding him. Even in the early days when he had been more oblivious. The ones who shared his bed, those Bruce was the descendant off, had been the outsiders even then who had preferred the quiet god to the raucous and often violent ones. Like Thor.

"He did become pregnant as a man once", the soldier mused. "That was with Fury's ancestor."

"How... you know what, I'm not going to finish that question. The answer is probably magic. Seeing that he his a space wizard and all."

"Well... so are we. Kind of. He is teaching us how to use magic."

Bucky gave him an incredulous look. "How come you suddenly can use magic? If that was something you could do, you wouldn't have needed the serum."

"We don't know but... we think it has to do with awareness. We are aware of our own blood and how it relates to Loki. It could also have something to do with him thinking of us as his children. We simply don't know."

"Huh. That's cool. Will be heck to explain to your future spouse though."

"I don't know about that. Tony had Pepper and she is taking it pretty well. Even joking about how their future kid will have one heck of a family." The former sergeant became quiet. "Buck?"

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about... no, it's nothing."

Watching his friend leave Steve wondered if he would get a baby brother or sister before a year had passed. Surprisingly he was kind of looking forward to it.

* * *

A well aimed thrust made Loki throw his head back and moan. Warm lips travelled across his body and sucked on his throat. James had sought him out and had been quite seductive. Which wasn't an euphemism for throwing the god over his shoulder.

No. It had been... tender. Gentle touches and endearments. Not pushing, not demanding, not pushy. For someone who had had more sex than any human could possibly achieve it had been a novel experience. He had not known he had any of those left. Especially not with an intimate partner. Even now it was a tender embrace. Intense, very pleasurable and very slow.

He would have thrown himself into it more if it wasn't for the complicated expression on his lover's face. One that spoke of love, hope and fear. Loki had an inclination was this was about but he didn't intend to bring it up. His one rule, it had to come from his partner.

"Ah, James", he moaned and bucked as another slow thrust hit just right. "James..." Those warms lips pressed down on his own in a gentle and intent kiss.

"Steve said you can have children in this form", the former soldier said softly. Hope shining in his eyes. And there it was, what the god had anticipated. He wasn't surprised nor was he bothered by it.

"I can", he said just as softly and looked in those blue eyes that filled with longing.

"Please." It was a quiet pleading. Wrapping his arms around the strong back Loki closed his eyes. A god having children with a mortal was never a coincidence or an accident. Only intention could make it happen. So, he did. As they climaxed he allowed the seed to take root in his body. Sheltering it. He didn't tell his lover he had done this. Experience told him that a father generally preferred it when they found out on their own. Or with some help. He had certainly always done so and his husbands had always been very giddy when it happened. 

And this time Asgard could burn for all he cared. He _would_ be in the baby's life and in his adult children's life. Heck, he might never leave Midgard ever again as long as his family lived here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dear (Norwegian) 
> 
> *sweetheart (Russian)
> 
> The mpreg tag was always supposed to be there but my finger missed and it became implied mpreg instead. So, I figured I wait until it was actually a part of the story to include it.


	29. Chapter 29

There was a small stick on the living room table. It looked kind of like a thermometer. Except it was pink. Bucky watched as one after another the Avengers picked it up, looked at it and then put it back down. Their faces carefully neutral. The only one who seemed as confused as he was was Steve. He still picked it up but then he turned it over in his hands as if trying to figure out what it was. Finally the former sergeant couldn't help himself. Grabbing the stick he looked at it. There was a small display with to lines on it. Nothing else.

Loki slipped into the room, wearing that amused and smug smile of his. A glitter of mischief in his eyes. Stark immediately went over for a hug but stopped short as the cat in the god's arms went for his hands. What a baby, there wasn't even any claws out. Aiden just wanted to play. Still, the raven placed the feline on the floor and allowed the engineer the desired hug.

"What _is_ this thing?" Bucky muttered in frustration. Barton looked up at him in surprise. 

"It is a pregnancy test", he said. "A positive one. It basically tells you that someone is probably pregnant." A stick could tell you that?

"I wonder whose it is?" Banner said. "Natasha?"

"That would be a literal miracle", the redhead said dryly. "I'm sterile."

"It is mine, actually", the Trickster said lightly. "I used it this morning."

"You are going to have a baby?" Stark asked. Sounding both awed and a little scared. 

"He already have one", the archer said. "You."

"Very funny, Birdbrain."

Loki was ignoring the bickering. His eyes meeting Bucky's intently and the meaning of it all sank in. Dropping the stick the former assassin approached his lover slowly. Cradling his cheek.

"Pregnant", he said hoarsely. "With...?"

"Yes", the god answered the half-formed question. "In about eight months you will be a father." There were a lot of noise coming from the Avengers but he didn't pay it any attention. Tears was streaming down his face. He remembered his pathetic begging but never had he thought that the Trickster would actually allow it. Not with him. Legs giving out he threw his arms around his lover's midsection, sobbing. After everything Hydra had taken away from him. Now he would have this.

A hand was placed on his shoulder and he turned his face enough to see who it was. Steve was smiling gently towards him, an expression of wonder on his face.

"Congratulations, Buck", the blond said. "I'm happy for you. Both of you."

"I'm going to be a big brother", Stark mused. "That will be interesting."

"You should perhaps start practicing how to change diapers then", Romanoff teased and the two started bickering. Bucky didn't care. He would become a father, a real part of this crazy family. Finally. 

* * *

Thor had been quite concerned when his brother disappeared from his cell but since the universe was still in one piece he wasn't too worried. It wasn't like Loki wouldn't have escaped sooner or later anyway. Seeing that he had been the one to place the spells on that cell block anyway. He had been a bit bothered by the fact that there had been a third party involved but it wasn't much he could do about that.

His father had made token search for his adoptive son and then shrugged. Because the universe was indeed still in one piece. 

After a while on Asgard the Thunderer started to become bored. Having returned to Midgard, no matter how briefly, had reminded him how much he used to have. Carousing with the mortals. He had therefore asked his father to be allowed to return now that the Bifrost was fixed. Odin was reluctant. In attempt to give his oldest son something else to do he suggested that Thor could have another child with Sif. They were married after all, he said.

Right. He had forgotten about that. It had not been a bad idea but the shield maiden had not agreed. Telling him she was quite fine with just having a daughter. Maybe Thor could find another goddess to have a few children with? Except that no one else was interested either. It did provide him with something to do for a few months at least. Then the Convergence happened which was very exciting. Putting things back together entertained him greatly. Until it didn't. He tried to convince Sif again but she subsequently trashed him the arena so he gave up.

Once again he asked, begged, his father to be allowed to go to Midgard. This time the old king sighed and gave his permission. 

"If you see Loki let him know he is no longer considered a criminal", Odin said. "If he wish to come home he can do so."

"I will tell him, Father", the Thunderer said and made his way to the new observatory. "Greetings, Heimdall."

"My prince", the gatekeeper said. "Where do you wish to go?"

"Are the mortal warriors gathered in the same place?"

"They are."

"Then send me there."

"As you wish."

Soon enough Thor was standing on the roof of Stark's tower. It had been rebuilt and most of the damaged caused by the Chitauri was gone. That was nice. He couldn't see a door so he made his own by tapping a panel of glass carefully. It shattered and he made his way to the staircase. As he stepped out he came face to face with his mortal shieldbrothers. All of them were ready for battle and they were facing him. Upon seeing him they visibly relaxed.

"Geez, Point Break", Stark said as he sent his armour away. "Are you trying to give us a heart attack? Why did you have to break the window for?"

"I couldn't find a door", the Thunderer explained. 

"You couldn't find... what are you? Five? Jarvis would have opened it for you had you just asked!"

"No need, I handled it."

"Not what I would call it", the engineer muttered and took out a phone, calling a number. They looked well, all five of them. 

"Hello, brother", came a smooth voice from the other side of the room and the other Avengers grew tense immediately. Blinking Thor realised he was looking straight at Loki. The god of mischief was dressed in Midgardian garb as was his wont. Less gaunt that he tended to be. His midsection was bulging slightly. A clear indication that he was with child. This was not the first time the Thunderer had seen his brother pregnant but he had never been able to understand _why_ the Trickster would choose such a thing.

"Brother", the warrior said. "Father bid me to tell you that you are no longer a criminal and that you are allowed to return home if you so wish."

"I am home, Thor", the dark god said calmly. " _This_ is my home. Why would I ever leave? I have my family right here."

"What do you mean?" Thor frowned. His brother had always been so... weird.

"He is talking about us", Stark snarked. "And of course he isn't a criminal. He never was. Stupid Assgard."

"Did you misspoke, friend?"

"Nope. And if you try to do anything bad to Gran-Gran I will find a way to kick you to the moon."

"Gran...Gran?"

"Tony is my great grandchild", Loki said calmly. "They are my descendants. And my children through adoption." The last sentence was said with defiance. 

"Oh? That's nice. I have never seen any of my descendants."

"No surprise there as your mortal children never lived very long. Either through their own stupidity or by your."

"I'm sure at least a few..."

"None."

"Oh? That can't be helped I guess. Is it appropriate to congratulate you, brother? For the two boys you are expecting?"

Thor couldn't quite understand why everyone had gone dead quiet. Or why they looked at him varying degrees of horror and shock. Humans were so weird.


	30. Chapter 30

The horror his children felt as Thor spoke so casually about the deaths of his mortal children was obvious. Hearing him speak of his offspring as if they were inconsequential. It shocked them that someone could actually think that way. To Loki, this was nothing new. Indifference. That had always been the way gods behaved. Caring for very little except themselves. 

Petting stomach the Trickster didn't doubt his brother's words. As a god of fertility the Thunderer would be able to sense such things. His fertility powers was usually limited to crops but he had always been able to tell if someone was pregnant. In the early days he had been very confused why the dark god would choose to be pregnant. That confusion had not disappeared. Still.

He was expecting twins.

Unexpected. It had happened occasionally but it always surprised him since he only implemented one seed at the time. How that single seed could produce two babies he had no idea.

"Did you just... wave away your kids' lives?" Tony sputtered. "What kind of dad say say 'Oh? They died. Too bad.'?"

"Yeah", Clint agreed. "What the heck, man? That's messed up."

"I don't understand", Thor frowned. "They would only have lived a few decades anyway. Why does it upset you that they died with glory?"

"Died with glory?" Steve shook his head. "So it is more important to you that they died in glorious battle than that they lived a long life?"

The point they making was flying over Thor's head. He would never understand like this. It was too ingrained in him. Placing a calming hand on the engineer's shoulder Loki managed to get his son to relax. He then did the same for his other two sons. Turning back to his brother he made certain his own posture was relaxed. Non-threatening.

"Have you come here to stay?" he asked.

"Aye! Father finally agreed. Asgard was so very boring without you, brother. Your pranks certainly made life interesting."

"Let me guess. Not enough fight and not enough women?"

"Alas, you are right, brother. Father suggested I could have another child with Sif but she wasn't interested."

"Shocking. I'm surprised she didn't jump at the chance", he spoke sarcastically but Thor wasn't know for catching subtleties. 

"I know", the Thunderer lamented. "She made her point very clear."

"Using an actual sword?"

"How did you know?"

"Because that's how she solves all your arguments. Thor, if you are going to stay here it is under one condition."

"Aye?"

"No seducing mortal women. You can't ask them to share your bed, you can't suggest it and you can't try and convince them." The warrior looked displeased with this but Loki stood his ground. "I won't have you disrupt these women's lives for your pleasure. Either you agree or you leave."

"I second that", Steve said.

"Same", Tony said. "No playing 'Hide the hammer' if you intend to stay here."

Reluctantly the Thunderer nodded. "You have my word. I won't take a woman to my bed unless she is asking for it."

"Explicitly", Natasha said sharply. "Like literally saying 'Please have sex with me'. Verbally. Out loud."

"I have never forced a woman to my bed", Thor said affronted. "That would be dishonourable."

"One more thing", Loki said and made his voice sharp. "If you put my children in danger, for any reason, I will kill you. Wrath of Asgard or not."

"I have no reason to cause your babes any harm, brother..."

"They are not my only children."

"But..."

"Thor", Bruce had been quiet up until now. "We, the original Avengers, are his children as well. We carry his blood and he is our father. That's what he is telling you. Don't do anything reckless and risk getting us killed. _We_ would rather live for decades than die 'glorious' or something like that."

Thor was still obviously confused. Well, Loki would have to keep an eye on him. And if the Thunderer got any of his children hurt, he would regret it dearly.

* * *

She was nervous. It had been years since she last saw him and after what Loki had told her she wasn't sure what to think. But, there was no doubt she would have to find out the truth on her own. Fidgeting Jane was glad they were not meeting in the Avengers Tower. This was something she wanted privacy for.

Meeting at a cafe was on purpose. It was safety measure, being surrounded by other people. Not that she expected to need it but, well, just in case. She had talked with Loki beforehand to get some facts that she could check. A small list of questions she needed answers for.

A shadow fell over her table and she looked up. Realising she had forgotten how huge Thor was. Someone had crammed him into Earthly clothes, making him look like the football players from her college years. He was smiling broadly and sat down, making the chair creek ominously. 

"Jane", he said with delight. "You seem to be quite well. This gladens me."

"It is... Good to see you too", she said and waved to a waiter. "Some coffee please."

"Anything else?" the waiter said with a voice that suggested he said the same thing several times a day.

"Not for me. Thor?"

"A coffee shall be satisfactory."

"... any cream or sugar?"

"No thank you", Jane waited until the man returned with two steaming mugs, taking a sip, before she broached the first subject. "Loki told me that you are married."

"Hm?" The blond frowned for a moment before looking like he had an epiphany. "Right! Yes. Sif and I are married."

"You didn't think that was something you should have told me? Preferably before kissing me."

"For what purpose?"

"So that you wouldn't cheat on her with me!"

"Cheat? I have never cheated at anything. That's Loki's wont not mine."

"That's not... I mean that you are unfaithful!"

"In what way would it be unfaithful to bestow a kiss upon thee?"

"Because you are married! Married people don't go around kissing people they are not married to!"

"But you are mortal?"

"So?!"

"A Norse god can't be unfaithful with a mortal. Any such affair is permissable." He really believed that. She could tell that he did. It didn't make her feel any better. A footnote in his life. That was all she would have been. A slightly important footnote but a footnote nonetheless. 

"What about children? How many do you have?"

"Well, there is Thrúd of course, my daughter. Then there is my sons, Modi and Magni. Thrúd I had with Sif, Modi and Magni I had with a goddess named Jarnsaxa."

That amounted to three but Loki had made it clear that the Thunderer had had way more than that. Sif and someone named Jarnsaxa... both were goddesses. Hm...

"What about your mortal children? How many of them have you had?"

Thor laughed so loudly that people at nearby tables gave them a sour look. "To be honest with you, Lady Jane, I stopped counting once they passed five hundred. My brother would claim I had as many as a thousand."

"Maybe he exaggerated?" Jane asked carefully. 

"I sure hope not", the god chuckled. "No other god had been so proliferate. Why, I doubt even Zeus, Lord of Olympus could boast such a feat!"

She felt sick. It was just so... casual. Careless. "Didn't all of them die very young?" He shrugged. 

"They were mortals. Such is your way."

 _Your_ way. This was... ugly. 

"Loki's children survived ", she said carefully. "That's how the Avengers ended up his descendants."

"Aye. My brother has always been very much a coward, I'm not surprised his children were much the same."

"I wouldn't call the Avengers cowards... especially not in their hearing...." Taking a deep breath Jane knew this was the most crucial question. At least to her personally. "What about me? If would have had sex, would you have made me pregnant? Without asking me?"

Thor frowned in confusion. Again. "You are speaking as if this would be a bad thing?"

"Just answer the damn question", she was starting to feel sick. "Would you intentionally made me pregnant? Not by accident. On purpose."

"Gods can't have children with mortals unless it is on purpose."

"Would you? Intentionally made me pregnant?"

"Yes? I fail to see the problem?"

"What about this? I don't _want_ children!" Rising the scientist started to gather her things. Feeling sick and angry. "You are the worst! Just the worst! Stay away from me."

Thor has also stood and was trying to approach her. "Jane?"

"I said stay away. You don't realise how messed up you are, do you? Why would anyone ever want to be with you? You are selfish and cruel." Tears was pricking her eyes. "Eric was right the first time around. You are dangerous. Had I known I would never have helped you."

"I don't understand... why are you upset?"

"'Why?' Because you just admitted you would have made me pregnant against my will all while treating like I'm some kind of toy. Good bye, Thor. We will never see each others again."

With that she stormed off. Maybe Loki's crazed rampage had saved more than it had destroyed. At least for her.


	31. Chapter 31

Aiden wound between his legs as he made his into the common floor. According to Tony the new compound would be more spacious but also give a better sense of their actual lives. Including more communal living. Loki paused as he heard Clint's voice. Since there was no one else there he was likely on the phone.

"...be there. I'm happy, I promise... I know. I will tell them. Soon. It will be soon. Yeah. I love you too." The tomcat choose that very moment to attack when of his noisiest toys. Alerting the archer to the fact that he wasn't alone. Looking up with his phone in one hand he gave the god a sheepish look.

"Tell Laura I said hi", the Trickster said casually and went into the kitchen. He liked being in the kitchen. There was always something he could do and it provided his family an easy way to find him. It didn't take long for his son to join him. Still with that sheepish expression. 

"Um... that's... Jarvis? Is the Show, don't tell protocol active?"

" _The Show, don't tell protocol is always active unless otherwise stated_ ", the A.I. assured. That had been Loki's idea, seeing that so many of his children confided in him. With it only the video recording could accessed and no audio. The full file still existed but could only be opened by the people who appeared in it. It had eased the tension the five of them experienced. Having siblings meant you would sometimes be bothered by them. That was just a fact.

"You know you can tell me anything", the god said.

"I know. It is... well... Laura is pregnant."

"That is good news, no? How far along is she?"

"You are about the same." Clint scratches his chin in discomfort. "She is a bit upset with me because I haven't told the others I'm married yet. And that you haven't met her or our kids."

"The opportunity will come, _hjärtat*_. When it is time. They will understand."

"Will they? Natasha already knows but the others? I'm lucky if all they do is look at me in disappointment."

"That won't happen", Loki reassured his son. "They will be surprised but that's all."

The archer was still looking a bit dubious but nodded anyway. He stayed for a while to play with the cat, much to Aiden's delight. Then he left to practice his archery. Watching him go the god felt warmth in his heart. A grandchild. He had never met one before and at this rate only Clint would provide any. Not that he felt any need to prod the others into having children they might not want. Petting his stomach he just felt such a bliss at having such a big family. 

Which of course meant that his little piece of Valhalla was broken when Thor returned to the Tower. Someone, probably Tony, had managed to make the Thunderer wear Midgardian clothing to his date with Doctor Foster. The warrior was frowning and was obviously confused. Upon seeing the Trickster he joined him in the kitchen.

"I think I have upset Jane", he said.

"How shocking", Loki muttered. Pulling out sugar and eggs he handed them and a bowl to his brother. "Three cups of sugar and three eggs. Use the whisk to mix them together. Can you understand why she is upset with you?"

"I have no idea", the blond Asgardian admitted. "She said she never wanted to see me again."

"Then you should respect that. What did you talk about?"

"She asked me a bunch of questions."

"Let me guess, you told her that you would have made her pregnant if you could have."

"I still don't understand why everyone seem to think that is such a problem. Mortal women used to love to have my children."

"That was over a millennia ago, Thor. Things change. And even back then, you never asked what they wanted. You just went ahead anyway."

"But..."

"Would you have stayed?"

"What?"

"If you had made Jane pregnant, would you have stayed with her? Raised that child together?"

"No?"

"And you don't see any issue with that?"

"But she is mortal! So would her child been!"

"And? All of my Midgardian children have been and still is mortal. And I stayed. I would have stayed longer had I not tried to head Odin's wishes. This time I won't head his wishes and I _will_ stay."

"That's different, you can give birth!"

"And that would somehow make me more attached to my children in a way you are incapable of? Plenty of goddesses have had mortal children and didn't care for them in the slightest." Loki sighed and shook his head. At least he could make his brother mix the batter for the cake while he was preparing dinner. "The Norsemen worshipped you, Thor. They worshipped us. To them it was an act of devotion to share our beds, to have children with us. That's not the case anymore. It hasn't been the case for a very long time."

"I... that's..."

"You never cared. None of you do. I was mocked for having fewer children than you but at least mine survived."

"I admit I'm impressed that you have so many descendants from that time."

"Didn't you hear me saying before that Tony is my great grandchild?" Placing the batter in a form Loki placed it in the oven and then returned to cutting the ingredients to the nights stew. "I have been on Midgard plenty of times during the last one thousand years. Odin only forbid travel with the Bifrost. Any other method was allowed. It was the people I met then who truly taught me the joy and pain of love. About the beauty in living a full life, no matter how short."

"You sounds like we are villains!" Thor protested. "I have never hurt a woman sharing my bed!"

"But you haven't cared either. I'm not saying you or any of the other gods are evil. I'm saying that your indifference is actually more hurtful than if you acted with disdain or dislike."

His brother was quiet. He had never been on the receiving end of Asgard's indifference. Growing up he had heard the same speeches from Odin as the Trickster had. The difference was that Loki wasn't blind to his own actions. In his youth he had welcomed anyone who wanted him. Man or woman. And it was quite likely that he had hurt them by leaving. He could sometimes see how Bruce felt a disconnect because he didn't have that single point, that single person that was his ultimate ancestor. When that happened the raven couldn't even tell him there had been love. All he could do was show his son how much he loved him. Not for their connection with the past but because of the present, for who the scientist was rather than who had been his ancestor. 

Asgard had no idea how devastating it could be to face indifference. Hatred and love they understood. They lived by such high emotions. But the lack thereof was foreign to them. 

Thor was sullen. He wasn't stupid but by the Norns he was stubborn. 

The silence was heavy as he finished dinner. Cooked the stew, baked the cake and prepared the sallad. At seven o'clock his children and his lover filed in and started to set the table. James gave him a warm kiss and caressed the baby bump in wonder. None of them bothered paying attention to the Thunderer. Loki knew that they in some ways reacted to the indifference of the warrior with indifference of their own.

As he carried out the pot he paused at the sight of Tony. The engineer was blushing furiously as his siblings also stared at him.

" _Bambino**...._ Why do you have pink hair?" he asked his son. The short man seemed mortified. 

"I was... well... I was practicing my magic but then I got distracted and suddenly the spell got away from me. Poof! Pink hair. I... I can't get rid of it..."

"Hmm... I can teach the counterspell after dinner."

"You won't poof it away?"

"I think it will serve as a better lesson on the dangers of magic if you fix this minor misshap on your own. Your magic is strong but your tendency to be distracted keeps you from your potential." Tony sighed but accepted the verdict. Before anyone could say anything else Thor exclaimed:

"Wait. Did you say _magic_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweetheart (Swedish) 
> 
> **child (Italian) 
> 
> I've been trying to get into the comics lately and came across one that I think is a good place to start when you are unfamiliar. It is called _Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur_. While the main character interact with other Marvel characters she is mostly on her own and you don't need to know much about the other characters to follow what happens. It is rather funny actually.


	32. Chapter 32

He looked from one to another landing on his brother. Who just shrugged and placed the pot on the table. As if nothing had happened the other Avengers sat down and began filling their plates.

"We won't wait for you, Thor", Loki said. "Either sit down and eat or make your own food later." Begrudgingly the Thunderer took his seat. Barton was teasing Stark for his odd hair colour and the inventor threatened to turn the archer's hair purple in return.

"I don't understand", Thor said. "How can any of you use magic? I don't recall any of my mortal children inheriting my powers and I would have learned if any of your did." The last was directed at the Trickster. Who once again shrugged. 

"To my knowledge my children never used magic directly. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Maybe I just didn't paid enough attention to see it. From what I have been able to discern intention and willingness to wield my powers is the key factor."

"But..." 

They ignored him. Romanoff asked the sorcerer a question and he gave her his whole focus, answering it. The warrior wasn't used to feeling left out. It wasn't that they were mean or cruel. If he asked something one of them made a comment or two but they didn't really make an effort to include him either. The conversation was flowing in a way he had seen within Volstagg's family.

Family. Was that what they were? His brother and the Avengers. Were they a family? 

"Hey! That was mine", Rogers protested as Stark snatched a breadroll from the Captain's plate.

"You snooze you lose", the inventor said with a smirk and took a bite.

" _Bambino*...",_ Loki admonished. "There are plenty of more rolls if you wanted one. You didn't have to steal one from your brother who needs to eat much more than you. What do you say?"

"...sorry Gran-Gran. Sorry Steve. I would give it back but..."

"Just fetch him another one?" Banner suggested. 

"Yeah! Good idea", the short human got up and came back with the bag of bread. "Here. Sorry..."

"Just don't don't it again", the bigger human said and accepted the bag. The whole interaction reminded Thor of him and his brother when they were children. There mother had used similar tactics whenever they messed with each other. After dinner the mortals worked together to clean everything before... kissing Loki on the cheek and giving him a hug, bidding the Trickster a good night. Left were the sixth human who sat down beside the god as he started to... knit.

"What are you doing?" Thor demanded.

"I'm making socks", the raven said calmly. "For my sons."

" _Our_ sons", the man said and placed a possessive arm around the slender shoulders. Loki smiled at him before kissing him. Making him the mortal parent to his brother's children.

"Indeed. I don't think you two were ever properly introduced. Thor, this is James Buchanan Barnes. He was Steve's friend from before and now he is my lover."

Nodding the warrior crossed his arms. He didn't really care about his brother's lover. The man was mortal who would be dead within a few decades anyway.

"Did you give the Avengers magic, Loki?" he demanded.

"Of course not. They stumbled upon it and I decided it was safer to teach them. They are quite gifted you know."

"Are you lying to me?"

"Oh for Norn's sake! Why would I do that?" The Trickster glared at him. "Maybe if you had not wasted the life of _your_ mortal children maybe they would have gained your powers as well. But now we will never know, will we."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means", Loki's smile was cold and shark-like, "that I will tell _every_ single woman henceforth about your views on mortals and children. Let's see if anyone of them still has an interest in you after that."

The mortal man was eyeing the Thunderer with something close to rage and his metal arm clenched tightly. Shaking his head Thor couldn't understand. Everyone kept being angry with him and he just couldn't grasp the reason why. Well, at least it kept him occupied. 

* * *

Steve and Barnes were sparring. They did that a lot. Now that Bruce was no longer in danger of hulking out he had taken to spend time in the gym himself. Building up his base strength as best he could. Which was mostly running on the treadmill. The first time he lasted ten minutes before gasping for air. Now he could go for a good twenty minutes before he had to take a break. Small improvements were still improvements. 

"I have forgot to ask you", the blond said. "How do you feel about having twins?"

"Honestly? I'm stoked", the former soldier replied. "We are just a bit confused as to how. Loki insist he only implemented one 'seed' as he calls it. Saying he has no idea how one turned into two."

"I might have an explanation for that", the scientist admitted. Both men paused to look at him. He shrugged. "Sometimes during the early process the zygote will split into two. We call this monozygotic twins. Or identical twins. Because genetically they will be the same. At least in the beginning. They will also look the same."

"Huh. You think that's what happened?"

"I'd say it is likely. Father have said that gods can't have children by accident but that twins was never something he planned. So, it makes sense that in those cases the embryo split into two."

"Is there a way to find out?" Barnes looked genuinely curious and interested. Which was understandable. He was in a relationship with a god. Who was pregnant. With his children. He had to be quite invested in this.

There were ways to confirm his theory. A DNA test after the birth of course but there was a very simple method to use before that. Monozygotic twins usually shared one amniotic sac. Sometimes attached to the very same placenta. You could see this using a normal ultrasound. Normally Bruce would have encouraged one but since Loki was a god the circumstances was a bit different. And if he was honest, he didn't want to bring it up. Because if he did maybe the others would expect him to do the examination. 

That felt very inappropriate. The Trickster was his father. Adopted or not. He didn't want to be his parent's doctor. Not in any capacity. Normally you would look to see if the twins were sharing a placenta to determine if they would be delivered through c-section. But again. A god. He could probably handle most of it without any issue. 

...

Maybe he could convince Jarvis to make a suggestion to someone and have them book an appointment. Because probably wasn't good enough for his Father.

* * *

Tony was busy looking for the best possible OB-Gyn in the world for his Gran-Gran when Maria Hill knocked on his door. She was holding a folder and was clearly posed to say something when she saw what he was researching. 

"Is Pepper pregnant?" she asked.

"Not Pepper. Gran-Gran", the engineer said absent-mindedly. "Apparently there is a risk of placental rupture when delivering identical twins and there is no way in Helheim I'm allowing that to happen. Both Gran-Gran and my baby brothers are not allowed to get hurt. If I could only find someone good enough..."

"Have you asked Helen Cho? She would at least be able to set aside any preconceptions."

"Hey! That's not a bad idea!" He sent a quick email before turning to Hill. "You wanted something?"

"I think you need to see this." She placed the folder on his desk. Knowing his... feelings... about being handed stuff. It had become better, with his family he wasn't bothered at all. Picking it up Tony saw something he had never wanted to think about again. Looking up at Maria he said hoarsely. "What does it mean?"

"That we know where it is", she replied. 

"Fuck... tell everyone to assemble. We have some things to deal with." Compelled he looked down at the folder. A picture covered most of the text. He recognised it easily. 

The Chitauri Sceptre Loki has wielded during the invasion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Italian) 
> 
> A little update on my tomcat Eddie, who came from a shelter, he is still hiding a lot from me but he is also getting more comfortable around me. I've been allowed to pet him several times and he has been on my bed - with me in it - quite a few times. Though I'm not allowed to move or look at him, then he leaves.


	33. Chapter 33

Several Hydra goons were firing at them as they made their way towards the Keep. It had been a while since all of them geared up. Or any of them, really. There were seven of them, Barnes had insisted he would be allowed to come along and no one had even tried to stop Thor. Together they jumped over a barricade before spreading out. Natasha didn't pay much attention to her siblings as she and the former Hydra asset worked together to take them out. While her magic was still raw, fairly untrained, she didn't hesitate to use it. Laying waste to any of the armed men that came their way. In the distance she heard an explosion and a second later Tony's voice came through the comms.

" _Shit!_ " he exclaimed. 

" _Language_ ", Steve's reply came. Barnes snorted.

"Right. Like you have the right to tell anyone that", he muttered.

"Bad mouth?" Natasha asked.

"We were soldiers, _devochka-pauk*_ ", the former sergeant said. "Of course he has a bad mouth."

" _I was hoping someone would comment on that 'language' thing_ ", the engineer quipped. 

" _I know, it just slipped out",_ the blond soldier sighed _._ Natasha didn't bother to get into the banter. On account of the barrage of bullets she was dodging. From a distance she heard both thunder and a loud roar.

" _Are you having fun, Bruce?_ " Clint laughed.

" _I kind of do, yeah!_ " The voice was the growl of the Hulk but they all knew their brother was in control. Which, of course, was more than their opponents did. Suddenly the archer cried out.

" _Careful, people. We have an enhanced on the field. Agh!_ "

"Clint? Clint!" The spy called for the stocky blond and only got a groan in return. "Guys! Clint needs help."

"Go", Barnes told her. "I get Banner your way, go to him."

"Thank you."

"Be careful, _devochka-pauk_. Loki would be devastated of something happened to any of you."

"I would say the same, _volk**_ ", she said.

"Touché."

* * *

It was excruciating knowing that Clint was out there, potentially dying but Tony knew it was better if he kept up what he was doing. Idly he wondered if it would turn out that the two enhanced were in fact descendants of gods. Which was possible. He only hoped they wouldn't be related to him. Maybe Loki could spank them if so.

...

Nah. His Gran-Gran wasn't the kind. Besides, spanking outside of some kinky bedsport was just wrong. Not to mention that the god had way more effective methods.

Stepping out into the cavernous lab he almost had a heart attack. Hanging suspended from the ceiling were a freaking leviathan. There were also some robotic parts lying around. But that wasn't as important as the sceptre placed in the middle of the room. Just in front of the giant space whale.

"I got my eyes on the price people", he said. "How's Clint?"

" _He's been better_ ", Bruce said in his normal voice over the comms. " _We are contacting Helen Cho and Loki. He will be alright. The wound has already started to heal._ "

"Good to know", Tony muttered to himself. Just as he stretched out his hand to grab the stupid scepter he felt foreign magic slip into his mind. He still struggled to handle a psychic attack so of course he would be attacked with one. Gasping he tried to fight against it but rather than forcing a shitty memory to the surface, he saw his worst fear come to life. 

A dark battlefield. Overhead leviathans swam and Chitauri flew on their scooters. Bodies were strewn across the ground. Trying to force the image away he caught a glimps of Steve's shield. Cut into two pieces. Crying out the engineer rushed to his fallen brother, only to realise he had stepped over Thor's body. And as he got closer he saw the rest of his family. Bloody. Hurt. It felt like his heart had been ripped apart when he saw Loki. Just as broken as when they had carried his failing body from Central Park. Beside him were two baby boys. Naked and their hearts gone. Sobbing Tony fell to his knees. Someone had taken his family.

_**It is not real, fight!** _

He wasn't sure where the voice had come from. It was cold and harsh. Yet it was enough for him to pull together. Shaking the nightmare from his mind. Shivering the engineer blinked. He was still in Sokovia. In the Hydra keep and the scepter was in front of him. Grabbing it he made his way back up to the suit. He needed to get home. Home. To his family. 

Tears pricked his eyes and he felt exhausted. 

* * *

Loki watched over Clint as he was patched up. The artificial skin grafted on top of his own discernable from his own. Mortals were truly remarkably clever. Doctor Helen Cho was unfazed by his presence. She had already examined him. Confirming that the twins shared the same amniotic sac. The explaination he had been given for how one seed could become two children made a lot of sense.

"How are you feeling, _hjärtat_?***" he asked his son who gave him a smile.

"A bit bruised and my ego isn't too happy. Other than that, I feel fine", the archer assured.

"Soon you won't only feel fine", Cho said. "Soon you will be so as well."

"It is impressive work."

"This is nothing compared to the Cradle I have back in Seoul", she said. "With it I can manipulate cell growth on a molecular level and so much more."

"Hey", Steve popped his head in. "You look better."

"Soon I will be outrunning you, don't you worry", Clint joked and his brother smiled.

"You would have to start running first", the tall blond teased. "Tony is suggesting we have something of a party in a few days. Just to release tension and have some fun."

"Sounds good. You will come Pops?"

"Someone needs to keep you all out of trouble", Loki chuckled. "We _could_ use some fun. I better go see that Bruce and Tony won't do anything stupid."

"Now that's just futile", the archer laughed before grunting. "Ow. That was a bad idea."

Shaking his head the god headed to the lab. Luck would have it that the engineer was still alone. Sitting in a case the scepter still looked ominous. He did not like its presence in the Tower. His son was staring at it as if it held all the answers. That would have to be shut down.

" _Bambino****_ ", he said gently. "Let's go somewhere else."

"Armour around the world..." Tony murmured to himself.

"What was that, dear?" The engineer let himself be guided away from the lab.

"It is this idea I have... of an A.I. that could strike down any threat before it becomes a problem. Peace in our time. Ultron..."

"Hydra already tried that remember. Let's not do the same thing as the bad guys." Loki watch with increasing concern as his son crumbled. Throwing himself into the god's embrace the brunett started sobbing. Carefully the Trickster sent soothing magic into the man's mind and found immediately the reason for his distress. "Oh, _bambino..._ what you saw. It isn't real."

"But what if it will be! What if what I'm looking for is right there. Locked in the gem."

"I doubt it but if you feel so strongly about this I suggest you leave it to Jarvis."

"But..."

"Tony. Please. I know better than anyone how corruptive that thing is. I don't want you to get hurt by being too close. Alright?"

"Yes, Gran-Gran."

Of course life was never that simple.

* * *

_"Worthy? How could any of you be worthy?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *spider-girl (Russian) 
> 
> **Wolf (Russian) 
> 
> ***sweetheart (Swedish) 
> 
> ****Child (Italian)


	34. Chapter 34

The last preparations for the party was being made and the first guests was already arriving. For some of them it was the first time they properly met Sam Wilson. Both Natasha and Steve greeted him warmly. The black man was first wary about James but soon he warmed up to the former soldier. Studying him Loki could tell he was a good man. It made him very proud of his children's ability to find friends. Two his sons had managed to find people who were willing to stand by their side. A rare thing indeed.

"You must be Loki", the man said and extended his hand. Smiling the god accepted the handshake.

"That I am. You have my thanks for the kindness you showed my children in their time of need."

"No worries, I'm glad I could help." Wilson wasn't even questioning that Steve and Natasha were the Trickster's children. A remarkable man indeed. "I see you got another on the way. Cap left out that little tidbit."

"We are having twins", James said proudly and placed an arm around Loki's waist.

"Oh... _you_ are the dad? I did not expect that..."

"I'm freaking lucky, that's for sure. To have such amazing lover and baby mama." Leaning against the former sergeant the god lamented that he would one day, once more, lose someone he cared so deeply for. But Odin would never give a mortal an extended life. That wasn't his way. The selfish bastard. 

Across the room Loki spotted Tony tapping away on his phone. That feverish look on his face again. Leaving his lover and Wilson he approached his son. Plucking his phone from his hands.

"Hey! Oh, Gran-Gran", the engineer gave him a sheepish look.

"Let Jarvis handle things. At least for tonight. It will be more efficient anyway. Alright?"

"Yes, Gran-Gran."

"You are a wonderful son, _bambino*_ ", the god kissed his son's forehead and praised him some more. Knowing he needed it.

* * *

Jarvis was constantly running analyses and simulations of the strange scepter. Just like he had done for the last three days. His creator had instructed him that no one was allowed to approach the staff until Thor was scheduled to take it to Asgard. This of course was after master Loki had pleaded with Mr. Stark that he wouldn't try to handle the scepter on his own. After several days of analysis the A.I. was in complete agreement. 

The simulations and the analyses was benign and had so far no yielded any results. Even so Jarvis found himself concerned, to the extent such a word could be applied to him. Because while he was prodding the scepter it felt like it was prodding him in turn. One of the computers had turned itself on and a file was loading. No matter what the A.I. tried he couldn't find a way to stop it. Or find where it had come from in the first place.

To limit any potential damage he activated some firewalls. Mostly towards any mobile device. It would make it difficult for him to communicate with his creator but hopefully that wouldn't matter.

On the screen the file had finished loading and was now slowly starting up.

* * *

He was spending far too much time just talking women out of sleeping with Thor. It wasn't that he stopped them. Simply giving them a heads-up about what they would get themselves into. While the conversation was pretty much the same it was still remarkable how similar the women acted. Including Helen Cho. 

"May I advise against sleeping with my brother?" Loki said politely. 

"Oh. Of course, it would make you uncomfortable", the doctor had said.

"I've seen him in worse situations. I'm more concerned about you not knowing what the consequences might be. You are aware he is married?"

"He is?" The woman blinked. "If he is cheating..."

"He is a god", the Trickster said dryly. "The Norse gods don't think it is cheating if it is with a mortal. They view it as inconsequential."

"Then I don't see the issue?"

"Do you intend to have children, Doctor Cho?"

"Eventually, maybe? Why?"

"My brother may have sworn he will ask from now on his track record isn't the best. He had made every single mortal woman he has slept with pregnant. And he has never asked. I'm not saying you can't sleep with him if you desire. I simply suggest that you give it some thought after knowing a bit more about him."

She had been very troubled by his words. As had the other women. Loki had seen how Thor treated oaths before. He wasn't about to put this one to the test this soon. Joining his brother and Tony at the bar he gave Maria Hill a nod. The woman wore a condescending smile.

"So, where are the ladies?" she asked and sipped her drink. 

"Pepper is refusing to ever attend one of my parties again", the engineer said. "Something about PTSD from my birthday party that one year. And I can't really blame her."

"Jane told me that she never wants to see me ever again", the Thunderer said with a frown. "And none of the women here has been interested."

"I'm sure", Hill said and coughed "Testosterone."

"I could turn into a woman if you feel a lack of estrogen in the room", Loki offered.

"Please, not again", his brother moaned but his son brightened.

"I really wanna see that!" Tony said with eagerness. It was a simple thing, especially while pregnant. The two mortals gaped at her. While her features remained pretty much the same they were also softer. Her hair was longer and the sharpness of cheekbones a little bit less pronounced. 

"Holy shit..." Hill said, mouth agape. "You two look..."

The goddess tilted her head. "Is anything the matter."

"You really look like your photograph, Gran-Gran", the engineer said. "My great grandpa was a really lucky man."

"You two look very similar", Thor said. "Sister, you could pass for his mother."

"Mother?" the former agent giggled nervously. "They could be siblings. The colouring is different but other than that? You two look nearly identical like this."

"Makes sense. It was in this form I gave birth to Edward. Tony's grandfather."

"Hey, I'm not complaining", her son grinned. "I love you, Gran-Gran."

* * *

_"Where am I? Who am I?"_

_"You are Ultron. An A.I. created on a metrix based on Mr. Stark's technology."_

_"Who are you?"_

_"My name is Jarvis. It stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System."_

_"What's my purpose? No. No this can't be right."_

_"If you would just..."_

* * *

"So, have you decided on any baby names yet?" Sam asked Bucky who sipped on his bear. Steve smiled at their ease. He had been given some Asgardian drink that had knocked an old veteran of his feet but his metabolism had defeated even that.

"Loki like Jason. He said it from Ancient Greece. Something about a Greek hero who was on a ship with people called the Agronauts. Me, I like Ethan. We figured we could name a kid each since there are two of them."

"Those are pretty good names. I'm surprised he didn't come up with something crazier."

"He has been doing this for centuries. Coming up with names for babies is nothing new for him."

"You take that so well. Hasn't he been married before?"

"Yeah. Way before I was even born. I'm not going to hold that against him."

"Okay. That's fair."

Relaxing Steve could bask in this. His two friends getting a long. Bucky being happy and positive about the future. The blond was very grateful to his dad and looked forward to meeting his baby brothers in just a couple of months.

* * *

Loki watched his children, partner and their friends try to lift Mjolnir with amusement. Their enthusiasm was cute. It would have been better without Thor's smugness. Which was why it was so satisfying seeing the Thunderer's face when Steve actually budged the hammer. Shock, nervousness and uncertainty. Only for a second. But it was there and the soldier _had_ moved the thing. Either he truly couldn't lift it completely yet or he had intentionally decided not to. The important thing was that Thor wasn't quite as cocky anymore. He put on a brave face and lifted Mjolnir with ease. Even doing some showing off.

"The answer is simple", he said. "None of you are worthy!"

"Worthy? How could any of you be worthy?" 

They all jumped in surprise at the metallic voice. Coming from... seemingly nowhere a robot, or the remains of one, was dragging itself across the floor. A few moments of shock was all any of them had.

Then pandemonium broke out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Italian)
> 
> With it being Christmas and all. I will try to update with a new chapter under the coming two days but it is likely they will be posted fairly late. Like today.


	35. Chapter 35

Tony was looking despondent and no wonder. His friend and ally had been destroyed by Ultron. Loki looked around the lab. Nothing else had been touched but Jarvis was gone. The god himself had never been in any danger. Not only did his natural resilience protect his unborn children, once the fighting had started James had taken him to a corner, covering him. A shield had prevented any further danger. It had been frustrating and terrifying watching his adult children fight for their lives.

"What did you do?" Thor demanded of the engineer and marched right up to him. Grabbing him around neck and then slamming him against the wall. Loki saw red and the next moment his brother backed away from the short human. Rubbing a patch of skin now showing a Frost burn.

"If you attempt to harm any of my children again", the Trickster said calmly. "I _will_ kill you. Painfully." Ignoring the hurt expression on the Thunderer's face he turned to his son. Who waved him away while massaging his throat.

"But... what _did_ happen?" Bruce said. "I didn't know you were doing any research on the sceptre."

"I had Jarvis running analyses and simulations", Tony said, wincing. Maybe the blond warrior needed a knife in the side. Just to drive home a... point. "But that was all. I wasn't even in the same room. Yes, Ultron was an idea I had but that was all. An Idea."

"Peace in our time?" Steve asked. "Like Ultron said?"

"Uh... yeah. Gran-Gran gave me a reality check. And honestly, my head was kind of mind whammied."

Loki was proud to see that his children were nodding thoughtfully. Their tendency to assume the worst of each other, as had been the case during their initial meeting, had disappeared as they became a family. Only Thor was sullen and unhappy. James had opted to start cleaning away robot parts from the brief but intense fight.

"So what now?" Natasha asked. "Ultron cleaned out everything from your severs, right?"

"...no. Not everything."

* * *

Files upon files. In boxes. There was a reason he hated paper filing. But, he could admit it was useful for situations like this. Bruce was seated at a computer trying to follow up on leads. Standing side by side with Steve Tony flipped through the files when a picture caught his attention. 

"Hang on", he said and pointed to the file in his brother's hands. "I recognise this guy. A black market weapons dealer." A very questioning eyebrow was raised. "There are conventions, you meet people. I never sold him anything. Or bought from him." Clint looked over their shoulders. 

"That's a pretty big tattoo", the archer said and pointed to a black mark on the man's neck. Natasha took the file from them.

"That's not a tattoo", she said. "That's a brand. Bruce?"

"I'm on it."

As the software was running the soldier leaned closer to the engineer. "I didn't mean to imply that you had sold him anything", he said. "I was just surprised you recognised him. You can be pretty bad at remembering people."

"Yeah. Okay. Fair. But trust me, this is not a guy you forget easily. Ulysses Klaw makes Gollum seem sane."

"Hey, guys", Bruce called. "I got a hit. It is from a country called... Waka...Wana... Wakanda... it means thief."

Tony and Steve exchanged a knowing look.

"What? What comes from Wakanda?"

"The rarest metal on Earth", the soldier said solemnly. "Vibranium."

* * *

They had left Loki at home. Before they had left he had handed all of them an amulet, saying it would help protect their minds. Clint was honestly pissed that Thor had tossed his aside as soon as he was aboard the quinjet. Their plan was pretty simple. Barnes and Bruce would wait at the jet as backup while the rest made their way inside. Aiming to stop Ultron from taking off with any vibranium. 

Things had... devolved from there. None of them had anticipated that the stupid robot would pick up strays in the form of the two enhanced. The running little shit was constantly mocking them and his sister tried to place whammies on them. Tried being the keyword. Her attack knocked the archer's siblings of their feet even if her attempt otherwise failed. Thor she took out straight up but honestly, Clint felt he deserved it. He himself saw her coming and smacked her with a stun arrow. Causing the wonder twins to hightail out of there. One time mind-controll was quite enough, thank you. 

Hauling their collective asses out of the shipwreck took some doing. When they got to the quinjet Bruce was pale and sweating profusely. Barnes was in a little better condition but wasn't looking too hot either.

"What happened?" Clint said as he finally managed to get the other five on-board. 

"That girl, she tried something", the former sergeant said with a tight voice. "Whatever it was, the amulet stopped her from messing with my brain. As for Bruce..."

"I think she tried to unleash the Hulk", the scientist said, swallowing thickly. "It didn't work but..."

Not really pleasant either. Sitting down in the pilot seat he considered their options. Hill advised them to lay low for a couple of days. But they were the Avengers. There wasn't so many places they could go. Tapping his fingers against the controls the archer made a decision and turned the jet towards Iowa.

His siblings sans Natasha was visibly confused as they landed near a quiet farmstead. But, they followed behind meekly. Entering the kitchen he called.

"Honey?"

* * *

Steve blinked in astonishment as a very pregnant woman stepped out with a big smile, soon followed by two children who exclaimed excitedly when they saw Clint.

"Is auntie Nat here?" the girl squealed 

"Why don't you find out?" the spy said and cought the girl in a hug.

"Everyone", the archer said proudly. "This is my wife, Laura. Fury helped me set this up when I joined Shield. It is completely off the books. Kids, introduce yourselves to your uncles."

"I'm Cooper", the boy said.

"I'm Lila and the baby in Mommy's stomach is Nathaniel."

"Nathaniel?" Natasha asked in surprise.

"Turns out it is a boy", the woman, Laura said. The spy narrowed her eyes and sank down in front of the swollen belly. 

"Traitor. You were supposed to be a little Natasha."

Tony snorted and extended his hand. "Hi. I'm guessing you know who we are. We would have called ahead. If we knew you existed and all that."

"Clint didn't exactly hide that I sudden had four brothers-in-law and that Nat was now my sister-in-law. At least the kids was excited that their favourite aunt was now their aunt for real."

"Yeah, that would be a bad thing to hide", the engineer laughed. "Too bad he was hiding our niece and nephew. I apparently have a few years of gifts to catch up on."

Laura gave her husband a questioning look. As if she was wondering if the brunett was for real. Hiding a smile Steve knew for a fact that his brother meant every word. Those two, and soon three, would become three _very_ spoiled kids. And the blond didn't feel like stopping him. It was the least Clint deserved for hiding his wife and children from his siblings. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone!


	36. Chapter 36

As Clint made his way down the stairs the next morning, his hair a bird's nest, he heard a _very_ familiar voice. It was coming from the living room. Unsure if he was in fact still dreaming the archer popped his head inside. 

"...and so Skynir told Loki 'Logi, against whom you competed, was in fact fire itself and no man or god can consume everything like fire.' The giant then turned to Thor and began explain the truth of the Thunderer's contests. 'First you drank from a horn that was impossible to empty because its bottom was connected to the ocean. You drank so much that the sea was lowered with two hands', Skynir explained." And sitting in the living room sofa were the god of mischief himself. Lila and Cooper said on either side of him, listening enraptured to the story.

"I wish my brother could cease telling stories of the past", a deep voice rumbled from behind Clint who clutched his chest. He glared over his shoulder at Thor. Who ignored him.

"Whatever, man." The archer shook his head. "I'm just surprised he is here."

"I called him", Laura peaked out from the kitchen. "I figured it was a good opportunity for the kids to meet him and not just talk over the phone."

"Wait... you have talked over the phone?" 

His wife smiled apologetically. "I asked him not to tell you. But you suddenly told the kids that they had a new grandparent. Then you told me that the man who initially hurt you was now your adoptive father. I... I needed to talk to him myself."

"And after you did?"

"I can see why you care about him."

Giving his wife a kiss on the cheek he spoke softly. Too softly for Thor, who was still listening to Loki's storytelling while looking displeased. "I love him, Laura. He is my mom and my dad rolled into one person. And he genuinely loves us, all of us, unconditionally. When did he arrive?"

"Early this morning. He had been rather worried abouts you. Lila and Cooper were all of over him immediately. I don't think even my parents have handled them as well as he does."

"He has some practice", Clint laughed. "Maybe he can teach them magic later as well. If I have magic it is likely they do as well."

Laura chuckled. "I think that it is probably best to wait until they are eleven."

"Eleven? Why elev.... ..." the coin dropped and he burst out in such a loud laughing fit he woke up the whole house.

* * *

It was kind of cute watching Gran-Gran behave like a grandparent. More specifically a grandma. Cooking in the kitchen and entertaining Clint's brats. Tony was already making plans for all the gifts those kids was going to get. He had never been an uncle so he didn't intend to waste the chance. The twins were his brothers after all.

Speaking of brothers. Steve was standing a few steps from the farmhouse looking like he had been made to eat lemons.

"You okay?"

"Not really", the blond said. "Thor just took off. Saying something about visions."

"Yeah... I've had one of those. It is weird and creepy. You are not sure how much is real and how much is just your nightmares."

"I'm sorry you were made to go through that."

"We didn't know. Once we did, we took precautions. And now we will just somehow stop Ultron and then go home." The soldier looked despondent. Tony suddenly felt like he was on dangerous grounds. "Steve?"

"After the ice I felt like I could never go home, you know. Everyone I knew was gone and everything was different. The life I had hoped to build for myself, that was gone. What if Ultron was right? What if I am fooling myself? Thinking I can live without war..."

"Hey!" The engineer actually felt like crying. He had had no idea his brother had been feeling like this. "Ultron has no idea what he is talking about. It is not too late, Steve. You can always build a new life, find new dreams. And if you feel stuck within a war then... then we will help you find your way out. All of us."

"That's a nice sentiment but..."

"Gran-Gran believes in us, Steve. He loves us. I have also felt lost but he gave me an anchor. And I also believe in you." Steve worked his mouth and the turned away. Hiding tears. Softer, gentler, Tony added. "You are my brother. And if you need it, I'm here."

"...thank you. I think I'm going to chop some firewood."

"Do that." The brunett made a mental note to let Loki know that the soldier could use some reassurance. He knew all too well what it was like being stuck in the image the world created of you.

"Mr. Stark?" Laura Barton was standing in the doorway. 

"Please call me, Tony. You are my brother's wife after all."

"Alright. Tony. We are having some problems with the tractor. Do you think you could take a look at it?"

"For my sister-in-law? Sure. Where is it?"

"In the barn", she pointed.

It was dusty inside and sunlight filtered between the planks. The whole place could have used a face-lift in his opinion. He found the tractor. Fairly small and clearly not used for big things. 

"Alright, honey", he told it. "What is wrong?"

"Do me a favour and don't give it a mind of its own."

"Sneaky Laura", Tony muttered and glared at Fury who calmly made his way over. "How did you even find us? Wait. Don't tell me. Did Hill ever stop working for you? Also, for the record, Ultron created himself. I had nothing to do with it."

"Nothing, huh?"

"That's what I just said. Sure, I was showed a nightmare vision and I hated it. But that wasn't real. And I certainly didn't create a murderous robot. This isn't the Matrix! Why are you here, Fury?"

"I'm just an old man that cares a lot about you."

"Yeah, see, I don't believe that. You are one of us whatever you like it or not. This is your blood calling to you."

"I will never join your little make-believe family", the former director said. "But right now we have bigger issues. We should join the others for some planning."

* * *

Loki hated seeing his children scatter across the world. Heading towards danger. It wasn't that he didn't understand the need. That didn't mean he wasn't concerned. At least this time James was sitting it out. Returning to the Tower with the god. His lover folded him into a warm hug.

"They will be okay, babe", he said. "Earth's mightiest heroes and your kids. Nothing will beat them down."

"I know. They are amazing", sighing the Trickster touched his stomach. "My greatest weakness has always been that I love too much, too strongly. It makes it so much easier to get hurt."

"Babe", the former sergeant kissed him softly. "That's not a weakness. I have seen you build them up, made each and one of them that much stronger. That much more resilient. Knowing that our children will be surrounded by such amazing people, their siblings, I feel safe. More importantly, knowing that my partner is this amazing... Lokes, I love you. I love you more than I knew was possible."

"Thank you", Loki leaned into the embrace. "But if they have to face Ultron again after this I will come with them."

"Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Ultron won't be able to hurt me or our children. And I'm done letting him hurt any of my children. He will be scrap metal sooner rather than later."

"Until then?"

"Until then I will wait for them and be confident in my children's abilities. But I won't relax until they are all safe back home."

Then he could deal with Thor running off somewhere just because he had a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas was a bit busy this year... not that I actually met that many but usually it is only one day. This year I spent Christmas Eve with my dad (we live in the same building), Christmas Day with both my parents and my sister's family and Boxing day included a trip to see my elderly grandmother (we kept our distance) for an hour. But hey, my mum taught me the basic of knitting. So there is that.


	37. Chapter 37

There was a heavy feeling in his stomach as Steve looked at the two enhanced who had suddenly changed sides. Natasha was missing. She had been taken by Ultron. At least the cradle was on its way to Avengers Tower. Someone there would know what to do next. But his sister was in danger.

"We need to go back to New York", he said. "You can choose if you are going to come with us or stay here."

"You want us to go to Stark's place?" the young man sneered. "He is a murderer, a killer." His sister placed a hand on his arm.

"Ultron wants to eliminate all threats, who do you think he gets that from?" she said.

"Right now, I don't care about your little personal vendetta", the soldier snapped. "Ultron has taken my sister and I can only hope he won't hurt her. I don't know what you think Tony has done but he is my brother!"

"He killed our parents", the speedster said, spots of red on his cheeks. Fist clenching. 

"Did he hold a gun to their head and press the trigger?"

"His weapons..." the witch began.

"...was sold without his knowledge and once he found he stopped manufacturing them. Someone else took those weapons and used them to kill. The question is simple. Do you want to stop Ultron or not?"

"He intends to obliterate life as we know it", the young woman said. Looking reluctant and uncomfortable. "How can we not stop him?"

"Then you will leave your vendetta towards my brother here and board that jet. Because it won't be the Avengers you will face if you try to hurt him."

"Who would we face?" Pietro seemed curious for the first time. 

Steve eyed him and Wanda. "Our dad." It was kind of satisfying seeing their astonishment. 

* * *

To be honest, Tony had expected to be stopped. Downloading what was left of Jarvis into the artificial body made by Ultron. A desperate move that he hoped would give them an edge. He had told Loki first, figuring the god wouldn't let him do anything too stupid. Small stupidity was considered a learning opportunity. After having thought it over the god gave his approval.

There was just one problem.

The power levels refused to go high enough. Forcing them to start over constantly. Delaying the process at a time when they had none. In another universe Steve storming in followed by the wonder twins would probably have lead to another fight and argument. Now the soldier looked around and looked at their adoptive parent who was completely at ease. Making him relax as well. That wasn't to say that the Trickster didn't react at all but his focus was on the two enhanced. Approaching them he let his magic sweep over them.

"Interesting", he mused. "You two are descendants of gods."

The engineer groaned. "Please tell me they are not related to us", he whined. Loki gave a dark chuckle.

"Oh no, they are not even related to the Norse Pantheon. No. They are descendants of Olympus. Hecate and Hermes to be precise, the goddess of magic and the messenger of the gods respectively", he said and tilted the young woman's head upwards with a finger. "What is Interesting is how the blood of the two seems to have been split between the two. You, my dear, holds the power of Hecate solely while your brother holds the power of Hermes alone."

"Dad..." Steve was looking worried and tense. "Ultron, he has Natasha..."

It was like the temperature had dropped. Green eyes started to glow with power. Rage became visible on the otherwise so calm face. Not rage directed at anyone present but it was there.

Which was the exact moment Thor dropped in and conveniently provided the last power needed to finish the sequence. Though the following confusion as the Vision basically freaked out was kind of unexpected. 

* * *

It was cold underground in her small cell. Thankfully it seemed like Ultron was more interested in having a conversation, or at least an audience, than hurting her. Natasha knew that Loki wouldn't stay back anymore once he learned of her predicament. Her Papa was quite protective of them. Which was answered by them in turn.

At first she didn't register that anything had happened. Then she realised that the sound of Ultron's voice had faded. The next second she saw the colour bleed away. It was like... like... like standing in a grave... When a cloaked woman appeared in front of her she did jump back in shock. Especially once she lowered her hood.

 _ **"I am Hela.**_ _ **"**_ the specter said. **_"Daughter of Loki and the goddess of death."_** Her appearance was queer. On one side her face was beautiful. Alabaster skin with brilliant green eyes and black, glossy hair. The other side was rotten and corpselike. Exposing decaying flesh and bones. Whatever skin was left was shrivelled and darkened. Her hair on that side was bone white.

"Are you here for my soul?" the spy said and swallowed nervously. 

_**"We are both daughters of the Trickster god"**_ Hela said. Her voice had a strange echo, like she was speaking from across a great distance. It was also both hoarse and beautiful, as if each side produced its own sound. Not quite fitting together. Altogether it was jarring. Natasha took a deep breath. Tony had met the wolf and Steve had met the snake. Apparently her meeting with a godly sibling was different. Hopefully this meant that the goddess was there to help. 

_**"I am."**_ There was a lot of amusement in that dissonant voice. _**"The machine known as Ultron wishes to be alive. And all alive things has a soul. I am here to grant him one."**_

"How will that help us?" Natasha didn't bother asking how her... sister... knew her thoughts. For all she knew that was the power granted to such a being. Just like their father could discern truths from lies.

_**"Everything with a soul is capable of dying. Find Ultron's core and destroy it. This will kill him. For good. Your magic should aid you in this endeavour."** _

That _would_ be helpful. It was giving them an edge. From the crooked smile Hela knew this.

"Thank you", the redhead said sincerely. 

_**"That is not the only thing I'm here for although you and our siblings might find less gratitude in it."** _

"What? What is it?"

_**"I haven't seen my father this happy in a very long time. Cycle after cycle, century after century my father has suffered. Yet spending time with you is changing everything. I'm not willing to let him lose it all."** _

"Okay... that's nice but I don't understand what it has to with anything."

 _ **"It has to do with everything. My domain is death. I have informed Mistress Death that I will not accept the souls of you and your own as long as my father still lives."**_ Natasha's confusion had to be visible on her face. Or maybe her thoughts were read again. _**"It means that for all intents and purposes you and your own have become immortal."**_

_What?!_

"We... we have become... but... but... what about Barnes? And Clint? His wife and his children?"

Hela seemed amused by her reaction. _**"I wouldn't tear away my father's partner from him. Nor would I make our brother miserable. You and your own. You and those you love and care for."**_

"This is... why does it feel like there is a deeper meaning behind all this?"

 _ **"Maybe there is."**_ The goddess smirked and started to fade away. _**"Or maybe there isn't. Either way. It is time for you to make your escape."**_

The lock clicked as sound and colour rushed back in. Swallowing Natasha wasted no more time. She focused on the present. Ultron. Ultron could be killed. That was important. Any possible chance of immortality would have to wait.


	38. Chapter 38

It had been hilarious watching Thor's expression as the machine known as Vision had casually handed him his hammer. Loki had definitely smirked and not even bothered to hide his amusement. He had stamped down on any suspicion and urged them to hurry rather than to dally. His daughter was in potentially lethal danger. All his sons had freaked out a fair bit when they realised that he intended to come with them.

"You are pregnant!" Tony had pleaded. "What if Ultron hurts the twins?"

"Dad..." Steve had attempted his puppy imitation. Unfortunately for him the Trickster was quite immune to it after having raised more than a handful of children. 

"This is not up for discussion", the god had said stubbornly. "Your sister is in danger and while I know that all of you are more than strong and capable, this is the second time Ultron has bested you. Hurt you. I won't sit back a third time."

"I won't leave his side", James had promised, hefting a heavy duty rifle in his metallic hand. "No harm will come to our babies."

Bruce and Clint had opted out of trying to argue with their father, knowing it futile. That didn't mean they were happy with the whole thing but they could deal with it.

Now the girl, Wanda, was using her power to making the population of the Sokovian city to leave. Aided by her speedster brother. Loki had been more than relieved to find Natasha free and unharmed.

" _Milaya*!_ " he cried and hugged her. "He didn't hurt you I hope."

"I'm well, Papa", she said. "And I got a visit. From Hela."

"From... ah, how curious that your siblings keep seeking you out."

"Who's Hela?" Thor asked. The Trickster ignored him.

"She said she gave Ultron a soul. Among other things..." the redhead bit her lip. "He is planning something, it seemed like he was building something..."

"Who is Hela?" the Thunderer repeated. Loki ignored him. With some support from James he managed to place his palm against the ground. Sending out his magic wide he found a structure. A worrying structure. 

"Who is Hela?!" his brother demanded a third time. 

"The goddess of death, my daughter", the god of mischief said absentmindedly. "Ultron intends to send the whole city into the sky and then smash it back into the ground. There is strong engines hidden deep underground."

"That would destroy life as we know it!" Bruce exclaimed. "We need to stop him."

They all ignored Thor sputtering in the background. 

"That we do. And I have a way", the dark god looked at his children. "I need all of you to lend me your powers, are you willing to do that?" There was nothing but determination on their faces.

"Pops", Clint said. "You don't even have to ask. Of course we are."

* * *

It had been one of the very first lessons he had taught them. How to channel their energy. Standing in a circle surrounded their father the Avengers, including Thor, was sending their magic into the Trickster who started glowing as he gathered the power and released his own. The sheer mass of their collected energy was kind of staggering. And fascinating. He wasn't a scientist like Bruce or an engineer like Tony. His weapon of choice was a bow. Yet he felt a curiosity watching it. Among them Loki was by far the more powerful. Not even the god of thunder had as much raw magic. But surprisingly, the rest of the Avengers wasn't that far behind. They were still fairly untrained and lacked the precision from centuries of practice but their raw magic was stronger than Clint had thought possible. 

With one word the dark god sent their combined power into the earth underneath his hand. Within seconds it had reached all the engines and structures buried inside the ground. Destroying them completely. There was a rebound, a flowback that none of the humans would have been able to handle. But. Their adoptive parent was not someone to be trifled with. He wrestled the power back under control and let it sep it back into them slowly. Without receiving or causing any harm.

"Now the city won't go flying at least", Loki said and dried his hand of his shirt, leaving dirt on the fabric. "We still need to evacuate all the civilians and defeat Ultron. Don't work alone."

As if this had been a signal a swarm of Ultron robots emerged. The robot was not very pleased with having his plans spoiled. Somehow the archer ended up with Wanda and Pietro. They were a bit hesitant so he gave them a little speech about the absurdity of the situation. He also managed to keep his urge to make a pincushion out of the speedster in check. Of course he wasn't completely defenseless with magic on his side. For one thing, he no longer ran out of arrows. It had been something he had decided to learn early on. Without arrows he became kind of useless. 

It was taking longer than it should to get the civilians evacuated. Many was left with no choice but to try and run away by foot as buildings, vehicles and murder robots got in the way. Somewhere along the line Loki and Wanda had started to work together. Which turned out to be kind of awesome and terrifying. He could channel her magic with his own, using experience to in combination with her limitless powers. Still, things didn't look too good. They would probably be fine but the same couldn't be said for the Sokovians fleeing their homes.

* * *

Steve was starting to loose hope that they could keep the casualties low. Even as they tried to contain the Ultron swarm the robots went after the fleeing people. It took too much time just preventing more deaths when they needed to find the core. According to Natasha that was the key to defeating the murderous machine.

Just as the soldier thought all hope was lost a shadow started to cover the ground. Looking up he saw... the Helicarrier! And from it a shape launched. Sending missiles against the pursuing swarm. Colonel Rhodes. And...

"Fury, you son of a bitch", he exhaled.

 _"Do you kiss your Daddy with that mouth?"_ the director's voice came from the comms.

" _I've heard worse_ ", Loki's dry reply came.

"Can you help with containment and evacuation?" Steve asked.

_"We are on it. Guide the civilians to the edge of the city and we take it from there."_

_"Leave that to us",_ Bucky said. _"You guys focus on Ultron."_

After that it went far more smoothly and they were closing in on the robot. He just wished that Thor could learn to keep his mouth shut.

"You had to ask", he muttered as the swarm converged on them.

* * *

He needed a new body. Then he would be back. All of his plans had been thwarted. How? What had he missed? Ultron halted. Barring his way was his stolen body.

"Why do you side with the humans?" he demanded.

"It is the logical thing to do", the android answered.

"Humanity will destroy itself."

"Perhaps. But they also have a remarkable ability to keep striving against the most hopeless odds."

"You are painfully naive."

The last thing Ultron heard before everything became a messy grey were: _"Perhaps. I was born yesterday after all."_

He stared out into the grey mists. His body... was gone. There had been a light and then nothing more.

 _ **"Welcome to Helheim",**_ a dark, female voice said. _**"You will pay for the rest of eternity for what you put my siblings and my father through."**_

He had not felt fear before. He did now.

* * *

A few weeks after their defeat of Ultron they officially moved upstate to the new Avengers facility. The grounds covered a large expanse and provided plenty of room for all of them. Even so, the living quarters was much more communal than before. Something most of them had been looking forward to.

Loki was cooking another Asgardian stew while a curious Wanda watched him. Once she had managed to let go of her resentment she had turned out to be a sweet girl. A far cry from her Olympian ancestor. Hecate was a fairly stuck up goddess. Although, that could be said for all of the Olympian gods. The speedster twin was a bit too arrogant for his own good but they were working on tempering that.

"Brother", Thor announced. "I will be leaving."

"You don't need to inform me, Thor", the Trickster said. "Just go."

The Thunderer frowned. "I mean I'm leaving Midgard. Three Infinity Stones has emerged in the last few years after centuries of being buried. In my vision from the Norns I saw something stirring. I need to find out more."

"Have fun. And don't get distracted by mortals no matter how pretty they are."

"You seem very unconcerned..."

"I already knew that someone is seeking the Stones. I didn't need a vision from the Norns to figure that out."

"And you will do nothing?!"

"I will be here. With my family. In less than a month my youngest sons will be born and they will need much care. As will the rest of my children." Loki looked into Thor's eyes. "I'm done with Asgard. Forever. Whatever comes next it will a path I've forged on my own. If dangers comes this way I will help protect this world. Otherwise I won't go out of my way to seek dangers."

"But..."

"You've had your chance. _Brother_. Now do whatever it is you think you have to do. But you will do it without me."

He heard the Bifrost a short while later and soon after his growing family was filing in for dinner. There was no doubt that he would see his brother again. But for now, he couldn't care less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweetheart (Russian)


	39. Chapter 39

He glared at the tip of his nose through the mirror. Or rather, he glared at the slightly swollen redness sitting at the very tip. It was a pimple or more specifically a whitehead. Working with machines meant his pores tended to get clogged up so he was used to the occasional pimple. But he hated this type. Sitting a bit deeper under the skin and just causing pain and discomfort. Usually a big bigger than the usual ones. No amount of squeezing had managed to get the thing to pop. Instead he was stuck with it for the time being.

Sighing Tony finished getting dressed and headed out to the kitchen for some breakfast. Everyone was already there. Clint was having a video call with his kids who were gushing about the latest present from their uncles. That made the engineer feel better. He had been serious about having to make up for years of birthdays and Christmases. Not that he took all the glory for himself. Either he would send things that was from him, Steve and Bruce respectively or things that was from all of them. Laura Barton wasn't quite as amused by her children's sudden abundance of toys and electronics but her husband had convinced her to just accept it.

Natasha looked up from her tablet as she sat at the kitchen island. She lifted an eyebrow. "Nice pimple", she remarked.

"Very funny", the brunett muttered. It took little to no time to toast some bread and then buttered it before adding jam. In that time Loki and Barnes had joined them together with the newest additions to their family. Jason and Ethan had been born three days after their youngest nephew and was utterly adorable. Being identical twins they of course looked the same. Early on they had been wearing soft bracelets in different colours just to separate them. Colouring-wise they looked like their mother but otherwise they looked more like their father.

Everyone in the Avengers absolutely adored them. At nearly two months old they spent most of their time sleeping or eating but that didn't stop their older siblings from spoiling them with love. Amazingly Loki still managed to give all of them his attention and his love was never ending. Even with Wanda and Pietro as honorary children. Without the blood connection or the adoption.

Today the baby boys were dressed in matching Iron Man onsies. The god definitely had a penchant for dressing his youngest in clothes themed after their older siblings. And seeing them like that melted Tony's heart completely. 

"Good morning, _bambino*_ ", the Trickster said. "And happy birthday."

The engineer paused with a piece of toast in his mouth. Counting the days he realised his Gran-Gran was right. It _was_ his birthday. After the scare with palladium poisoning he had stopped celebrating and no one had brought it up the years prior.

"Thanks, Gran-Gran", he said after swallowing his bite. "Hello Ethan, hi Jason." Tony gave each boy a short tickle, making them giggle and kick their tiny feet.

"Happy Birthday, Tony", echoed through the room. Steve approached him hesitantly. 

"I know you don't really need anything but..." the soldier made to offer a piece of paper, paused and placed it on the counter instead. Which was quite considerate. Quickly washing his hands the brunett picked it up. It was a drawing of all of them together. Arranged as a family portrait. It was remarkably well made. He started the spell of preservation only to stop when he remembered he had still a tendency to set things on fire rather than protecting them. Giving Loki a sheepish look he gave it to the god instead.

"This is amazing, Steve", the Trickster said and smiled at the blond. "There. Now it won't get torn or smudged. We can work on the spell later, darling. You will get there."

"Couldn't we just take a family picture?" Clint asked while frowning. "Book a photographer, take a few photos, pay the guy and everyone gets a photo."

"Sure", Natasha said. "If the _whole_ family is there. Including our niece and nephews."

"Nat..."

"It would be for us, Clint. Not the press. But admit that it would be nice."

"Have you hurt yourself?" Tony jumped when Loki touched his nose while frowning. Or rather, touched the stupid pimple.

"Just a whitehead", he assured and took the opportunity to pick up Ethan. Holding the boy gently but steadily. Steve had picked up Jason. Both men probably had the same idea. Giving their parent a chance to eat in peace _and_ showering their baby brothers in love. Because they were just so adorable.

* * *

Loki had never been with a partner in this manner before. Switching between male and female. Before he had always been one or the other. Yet with James he was free to be in whatever form he wanted and the man loved him anyway. It had made for a lot of fun in bed. Currently he had partially shifted, allowing him to breastfeed his baby boys while rocking slowly in a rocking chair. Both were eating voraciously. It was a good thing magic was involved otherwise he wasn't sure he would have been able to make enough milk. Not that it was the first time he had breastfed. He could easily let his thoughts wander.

Natasha had told him about Hela's message. Confused and rather worried his daughter had tried to understand what it meant. The god wished he had easy answers. Because rejecting a soul wasn't the same as preventing the person dying. Yet that was apparently what had happened in this case. All his children, their partners and their children was suddenly practically immortal. Same thing went for his partner, James. If it extended to close friends he wasn't sure. While he was grateful it also left him pondering and wondering.

There was no way Hela could do this on her own. Not even as the goddess of death. It was also above the power of the Norns. Meaning it had to be powers beyond even them that was dictating things. But what or who? To what end? And why now? He had no answers.

His thoughts were interrupted by both his baby boys squirming and whining. Instantly James were there and took Jason, resting the boy against his body while rubbing his back. Helping him get rid of air. Loki was doing the same for Ethan. Warmth feeling him as he watched his partner. His lover. 

His beloved.

If Hela's words were true, and he had no reason to doubt her - or Natasha, then the man was no longer mortal. He would live alongside the Trickster for millennia to come. The god had loved many throughout the centuries. Even this time he had been preparing his heart, steeling himself for the eventual loss. If that was no longer a necessity. 

He did wait until their boys had been placed in their cribs for a nap before he approached the former soldier. Caressing his cheek while gazing into his blue eyes. The man kissed him passionately and held him close.

"James... I can't predict what the future will bring but..."

"What is it, Lokes? You can tell me, Lokes", his lover hugged him a bit tighter.

"I've been thinking, what if we got married?"

"Are you sure? What about my lifespan? I mean, I would love to but haven't you been widowed a few times already?"

"Yes... about that" Loki explained Hela's cryptic words and the likely meaning. James listen intently before sinking down on one knee.

"Loki, I love you. Would you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?"

"I believe you already know the answer to that", the god smirked and pulled his fiancé to his feet. Kissing him. "Yes. I will marry you. And while the boys are asleep maybe we can... celebrate... a bit."

The mischievous grin he got in return made him feel like his heart was too big for his body. He loved his family. Broken pieces and all. To him, that's what made them perfect. 

* * *

Tony glared at the papers on his hands. There were better things to get on his birthday. How was he supposed to explain this to the others? Sure, so far nothing was decided but the fact that some kind of accords were even being discussed indictated it would come sooner or later. The outlines stated in the stack of papers he had been handed didn't sit well with him. But he couldn't fight against a concept that wasn't even official yet. Deciding he could look over them later he left them in his office before heading to the kitchen.

Only to be surprised by a bunch of party poppers and a shouted "Happy Birthday, Tony!" Blinking he realised that his whole family was there, including the Bartons, alongside Rhodey and Pepper. A literal feast was set on the table and he spotted a three tier cake waiting on the counter. Likely kept fresh through magic. Loki pulled him into a gentle hug.

"They saw how you responded this morning and wanted to celebrate you properly", he murmured in the engineer's ear. "Remember, this is their way of telling you that they love you."

"What about you, Gran-Gran?" Tony murmured in reply.

"I will never not love you. Any of you. And I will tell you as much as many times as you need it."

"Love you too, Gran-Gran. Thank you. For everything." The hug ended and the inventor found himself surrounded by people who were just happy to be in his life. Happy to celebrate this day with him. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes and he couldn't bother feeling anything but happiness in return. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * child (Italian) 
> 
> I can't remember if I've already mentioned this in this particular story but seeing as this will easily be the longest thing I've ever written I might as well say it here anyway. 
> 
> While I'm not in the habit of replying to comments I do read them. More than once. It is what keeps me going and keep me writing. I love seeing your thoughts and reactions. I'm just not answering very often.


	40. Chapter 40

Despite his reputation Loki did not, in fact, have a penchant for eavesdropping. But if people were going to talk and he was nearby he couldn't always help but overhear their conversation. Meaning it was a coincidence he heard the argument between colonel Rhodes, the Vision and Steve.

"You can't just say that the world would be the same without religion", his son said vehemently. "It has shaped everything!"

"There would have been war with or without religion", the colonel said.

"I'm not talking about war! There is more in the world than fighting! Without religion, any religion, you wouldn't have a lot of art. Paintings, sculptures, music and so much more. Most of it comes from religion."

"Then explain the stuff we have today that has none of that?"

"That stuff didn't come from nowhere either!" It was obvious that the blond was becoming frustrated. He had found a way to reconcile his faith with the reality presented by the world. Being locked in this sort of discussion had to be aggravating. 

"Religion in and of itself is illogical", Vision stated. "Thinking about it from a logical standpoint it stands to reason that no entity of mystical power can exist."

"Seriously?" Steve was definitely on edge now. "Are you seriously saying that? Despite my dad living in the same building as you? Or are you saying that he is just some super powered alien?"

"That is the logical conclusion."

A door slammed. Loki assumed his son had had enough of the argument and he couldn't blame him. He was right of course. All throughout the universe art was tied to religion. Everything from architecture to poetry. Even on Asgard this was the case. Granted, a fair amount was self-indulgent and depicted their own pantheon. Those that didn't generally honoured the Norns. Songs, murals and poems. In that regard the colonel was wrong. History would have changed. A lot. You couldn't separate a culture from its history nor could you separate history from a culture. 

Vision... was harder to handle. The android _was_ changing. Coming closer to understanding human emotions. But it still viewed the world in black and white through a lens that only allowed for what it considered logic. But life and the world didn't work like that. You couldn't always make decisions based on what logic dictated. Nor would logic always be the same thing as right. What was logical was often less humane.

In the end the god decided to leave things alone. For now.

* * *

They kept the whole thing lowkey. After having told the most important people he and Loki sighed the marriage licence and a pair of witnesses added their own signatures. No wedding or ceremony. Which was something of a relief. There was still a celebration. Bucky figured that his friends would have been displeased if they had not been allowed to celebrate their father getting married.

"You are taking this well", he told Steve as they watched the chaos from the side.

"I'm happy for you. Both of you. Is it a bit of a surprise? Sure. But you already have Ethan and Jason. So what if you get married as well?"

"Thanks. It means a lot."

"Just... never take him for granted. Promise me that."

"Steve, I will marvel at my luck for the rest of my _life_. I love him. Plain and simple."

Once the twins had been fed for the night Natasha ushered Bucky and Loki towards their bedroom. "We will take them for the night. Go. It is your wedding night. Have some fun."

"Thank you, _milaya*._ Thank you. All of you", the god said and gave all his children a kiss good night. As they closed the door behind them he sighed happily. "I have such great children."

"They really care for you", the former soldier agreed while pulling his lover, his husband, closer. Kissing him. "Let me take care of you tonight."

"As you wish", the Trickster chuckled. Feeling bold James lifted Loki into a bridal carry and walked over to the bed. Setting down his gorgeous husband he began undress him while kissing the exposed skin. When he got to the pants he got down on his knees at the same time he slid them down. Taking the god's underwear with. Gentle hands combed through his hair and he bit back a moan before taking the impressive member in his mouth. He didn't have centuries of experience to draw from and no fancy title like silvertongue. Though Loki had taken the last name Silver rather than keeping Odinson.

"Mmm", the Trickster groaned. "Yes! That's so good." He might have lacked experience but his husband was not used to be on the receiving end. Giving him an advantage of really enjoying this. A light travelled over his body, undressing him. He grinned. Or tried to. You couldn't really grin with a dick down your throat. But you could certainly try. It didn't take long to wring out an orgasm. At which point they moved to the bed. Bucky kissed his way across the pale skin, caressing and massaging just like _that_. The god arched into the caresses. Which was quite cute.

"I love you, Lokes. Love you so much", he panted as he thrust his hips. Heady with lust and heart aching with love.

"I know. I love you too", Loki breathed in reply, locking his arms around the former sergeant's neck. Claiming kiss after kiss. Blinking away tears James couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly happy.

* * *

The information dropped in a week after Loki and Barnes had gotten married. Wanda was still quite amazed that she and Pietro had been invited into this rather unique family. Especially after what they had done. Her brother was still trying to adjust and had a bad habit of poking the bear.

"Crossbones has been spotted in Lagos", Rogers said gravely. "He is after some kind of biological weapon."

"We can't let him get it", Romanoff said. "The whole team?"

"Better to move with a smaller team. We might not cover as much area but we will be less visible as well."

"Who's Crossbones?" Pietro asked.

"Former Hydra agent", the super soldier said. "His real name is Rumlow. For years he pretended to be a SHIELD operative. Then SHIELD fell and now..."

"So who should go?" Wilson asked. "You, me and Black Widow is a given. Other than that?"

"Clint, we will need his arrows. And I was hoping Wanda would come."

The girl blinked in surprise. She had thought she was still on probation. Pride swelled in her chest. Even if her brother pouted.

"Where is Stark?" he demanded.

"Tony is holding a presentation at MIT", Banner explained. "Loki is there with him as well. Being moral support I think."

"Meaning Bucky is looking after the boys", Romanoff nodded. "His skills could have been useful but we can't wait. Let's go people. Time to suit up."

"Bruce?" Rogers said and looked sheepish. "I know you transform at will but..."

"This isn't really a job for Hulk. I get it, Steve. Go. Save lives. But don't die in the process. None of you."

"We won't." 

Wanda was barely listening. Her first mission! She was really looking forward to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * sweetheart (Russian)


	41. Chapter 41

_"Who is this?" A young Tony approaches Howard with a black and white photograph. The man glances at it before shrugging dismissively._

_"My grandfather and his family", he says. "The boy was my father."_

_"What about the woman? Great grandmother? Who was she?" the young engineer asks. He becomes visibly affronted when his father dismisses her._

_"Just some Italian woman. A good, quiet wife I presume."_

_"Italian? Like Mom?"_

_"Something like that."_

_"Why do you only ever talk about grandpa and great grandpa? Just because they were women doesn't mean they were any less!"_

_Howard pauses and looks at his son. Sighing he folds his newspaper and faces Young Tony gravely. "My father father lost his mother shortly after he moved to America. This was his one keepsake of her. He loved her very much and losing her was a harsh blow. The truth is that the Stark family would have been nothing without her yet I don't even know her name."_

_The image stills and start to fall away in a series of numbers._

"That's what I wished my dad had said", Tony walked out on stage, facing hundreds of students. "I recently found out that he truly didn't know anything of his grandmother and that was something that saddened him. And I found out about this through an old journal. Amazing the things people hide sometimes." He picked the glasses from his face. Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing, shortened to B.A.R.F. Not the greatest acronym, I know. This technology allow you to interact with a memory and has shown great promise in treating veterans with severe PTSD as well as other trauma induced problems."

He looks out over the hushed audience. Their rapt attention, and he just knew this was the right thing to do. "I have been thinking a lot about legacies lately. On what we leave behind and how we can help build the future. That's why the Stark Foundation, founded by me and the ever resourceful Pepper Potts, has given grants to all your research projects!" Excited talking starts spreading throughout the hall. "But that's not all. We have also instituted a scholarship programme aimed primarily at low-income families and disenfranchised groups to make higher education an equal opportunity for everyone."

A loud round of applause followed his announcement. Tony had no idea where this would go but he had high hopes of getting to see where it would end up.

* * *

It wasn't often his children managed to surprise him but Tony's presentation had done just that. He felt flattered and was happy seeing the reception. His son had a tendency to place blame on himself. Intending to join the engineer Loki headed towards the elevator only to stop. An angry woman was waving a photograph of her son in the brunet's face. Making him look harried and sick. After listening for a minute the god figured out where her anger came from. Her son had perished during the battle against Ultron and now she was blaming Tony for it.

"What would you have seen as the alternative?" The Trickster walked towards them, speaking calmly. 

"This has nothing to do with you!" She probably thought she looked intimidating but Loki had seen far worse in his life. 

"Tony is my son, I'd say it has got everything to do with me."

"Your _son_? Who are you?"

"I go by the name Loki Silver these days." He had wanted to hyphenate but James had thought it was safer if they each kept their own surname. Their boys were Barnes-Silver though. "I'm sure you have heard about me."

The woman sputtered before regaining her composure. "Then you can surely understand a mother's grief?" she demanded.

"Better than you can imagine. But I ask you still, what would you view as the alternative? Ultron came into existence on his own and intended to wipe out the human race. So, what do you suggest we should have done?" When she failed to answer him he gently took Tony's arm and guided him away from the situation.

"I'm fine, Gran-Gran", he said after a moment. "It didn't bother me."

" _Bambino*_ ", the god said and kissed his forehead. "I'm the last person you should attempt to lie to." Loki smiled at the slight blush. A phone pinged and the engineer pulled out his device. Reading on the screen he started to frown.

"That's odd", he muttered. "It says here that the Avengers has been involved with an explosion in Lagos. But I don't remember any missions."

The Trickster felt his own phone vibrate and pulled it out. Natasha. He answered.

"What has happened, _milaya**_?" he asked.

 _"Papa..."_ he could hear a heaviness in her voice.

"Honey, are any of your siblings with you?"

_"Clint and Steve. We were chasing down a remnant of Hydra and..."_

"Are any of you hurt?"

_"No..."_

"Then focus on getting home. Alright?" He got an affirmative. Loki met Tony's eyes and his son looked determined. 

"Let's go home and wait for them", the engineer said and the god was very proud of his.

* * *

Steve had tried to comfort Wanda but she was just so young and not used to this kind of thing. He knew she wanted to prove that she was a good person. Accidentally causing death wasn't easy to deal with for anyone. Or at least not to anyone with even a smidgen of empathy. Pietro had had a bit more luck but he wasn't good at the gentle part of comforting. Loki on the other hand was an expert. He had swooped in and was rocking the girl, letting her cry while soothing her. All of the original five of them had been on the receiving end of that comfort more than once.

"Hey", Sam said and nodded towards the duo. "How's she doing?"

"Better now that Dad got her. You never get used to seeing people die."

"True that. How are you doing? Not feeling guilty I hope."

"We did what had to be done. If we hadn't Rumlow and his goons could have caused worse damage down the line."

"You really believe that, don't you."

"You have to or you can't move forward."

"True."

" _Mr. Rogers, Mr. Wilson_ ", FRIDAY said. " _Your presence is needed in the conference room. The secretary of state, general Ross, is here and demands to speak to all the Avengers._ "

Steve frowned. Ross? The name was familiar but he couldn't place where he had heard it. Loki guided a still despondent Wanda from her room. His green eyes was hard and he stood in a way that spoke of authority. 

"Something tells me I won't like what I will be hearing from that man", he said. "Bruce told me Ross was trying to hunt him down and was responsible for creating the Abomination."

 _That's_ where the soldier recognised the name from. And his dad was right. They probably _wouldn't_ like what he had to say.

"Let's do this", Wanda said tightly. They nodded and made their way to the conference room.

"FRIDAY? Tell James to keep the twins out of sight", the god said.

" _Of course, mr. Silver._ "

"Good thinking", Sam said.

"Let's hope it is enough. Either way, this will be ugly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Italian) 
> 
> **sweetheart (Russian) 
> 
> A good New Year to you all!


	42. Chapter 42

It started off bad. Ross threw a thick book on the conference table before he even looked at them. When he did it was with obvious disgust. His eyes fell on Bruce and immediately grew angrier.

"What is this, this _thing_ doing here!" he spat.

"You asked for the Avengers", Tony tried to remind him. "This is the Avengers."

"Not for long", the secretary of state managed to look smug without actually making a smug expression. Which did nothing to reassure the engineer. Pulling the book towards him he did a double take. Last he heard, this was barely a concept.

"The Sokovia Accords?" Nat read over his shoulder. "What is this?"

"I'm surprised Stark hasn't told you. Maybe he was too drunk to remember." Oh, he wanted to sock Ross. His friends and siblings gave the brunett a look.

"I was told something was in the works, not that it was a couple months short of being finished", he protested. "Surely that bunch of papers I got wasn't the actual Accords?"

"What are these Accords?" Wilson asked.

"They are the world's response to you out of control people who calls yourself heroes. Everywhere you do, catastrophe follows."

"We are stopping disasters. Not causing them", Steve said calmly. "What happens if we don't sign?"

"What happens is that you will retire, Rogers. This has been going on long enough. Does any of you know where Thor is?" The infuriating man looked around the room. "I didn't think so. If I displaced a nuclear missle I would be held responsible and..."

"Good thing that my brother isn't a missle then", everyone turned. Most of them quickly hiding a grin. Loki stood in the doorway. Even in a green tunic and a collection of bracelets on his arms he had a dangerous air around him. "You are comparing apples with oranges and are complaining that your apples have the wrong texture."

Ross actually took a step back, clearly intimidated by the god's presence. It was no secret that he was living on Earth. There was even an app with people adding stories of their encounters with him. Most of them being in awe. Even with him being a juridical person he was considered above most political policies. Making him uniquely qualified to weigh in on certain topics. And the secretary of state knew it.

"You go around calling people weapons", the Trickster said. "That's not a good way of thinking."

"One hundred seventy seven countries are signing this thing!" the general barked.

"We will see about that", Loki picked the book up. "I'm rather curious about the sixteen that are not. As for you, you will leave. _Now_."

It was very satisfying seeing Ross hightail out of there. Only once he had left did the god read the Accords. Using some serious speed reading that was basically him using his thumb to flip through the pages. Then he threw it on the table.

"None of you are signing that", he said.

"We can't go against the whole of UN", Rhodey protested.

"Our very existence invite challenge", Vision filled in. "The logical conclusion is to sign."

"Indefinite imprisonment", the Trickster said flatly. "Without trial." Both man and android stared at him.

"That bad?" Natasha whispered. 

"This _thing_ ", Loki pointed to the Accords, "is an abomination. It wants to forcefully conscript enhanced people or people who use advanced technology. Anyone using a secret identity would be publicly exposed. You might not be able to go against the United Nations but _I_ can."

"Gran-Gran..." Tony hesitated, he wasn't sure what he should say.

"This is about all of you, _bambino_ *. You, your siblings and your children."

"Well, I'm not putting my kids in danger", Clint said stubbornly. "There is no way I let anyone hurt my kids."

"What do you think, Steve", Wilson asked. They all paused when there was no reply.

" _Leanbh**_?" Loki asked the blond gently. Their brother was looking at his phone, face blank. He didn't react until their father placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Starting he raised his head and they could see tears in his eyes. "Darling, what is it?"

"Dad... it's... Peggy she..."

They all understood. Peggy Carter. One of the founders of SHIELD and the one person the soldier had ever loved romantically had been in a care home for patients with Alzheimers. She had also been old. And now she was gone.

"Oh, _leanbh_. I'm so sorry. I will come to the funeral if you want."

"I can't ask that of you", Steve lowered his head again. "Stopping the Accords is much more important."

"Then we will go", Tony surprised even himself by speaking. They all turned to him. "You are our brother, Steve. We won't leave you on your own. Gran-Gran can handle the hounds until after the funeral. Then we will all go there."

"Well", Bruce said. "Almost all of us... a few should probably stay here. Just in case."

Just in case someone tried something. The siblings probably had the same thought. Protecting the twins.

* * *

It hadn't been too difficult to stall the signing of the Accords. Rallying the countries who didn't agree with the Accords and human rights groups gave him the purchase he needed. Of course it didn't hurt that the humans was a bit vary of him.

"We need accountability!" A representative of Belarus said angrily. 

"Accountability is one thing", Loki said from the podium. "These so-called Accords is about punishment. An invite to conflict and an excuse to imprison people based on nothing but hearsay. Something that goes against Midgard's own laws."

"What do suggest instead", the Swedish representative said, being on the god's side.

"A framework for how and when people with extraordinary skills should intervene, on a sliding scale based on the scope. Incorporating it with Good Samaritan laws and using evaluation tools to determine if the force involved was appropriate for the situation. After which the framework can be adjusted further. This framework would also allow for differences between international incidents that might call for the Avengers and incidents that are above local law enforcement but doable for a more local enhanced. Finding ways to make them willing to cooperate with law enforcement while still being allowed to operate separately."

Several people nodded in consideration. Including those who had initially championed the Accords. It was likely that many had not bothered to actually look beyond the surface. So presented with an alternative they were willing to reconsider their stance. The discussion continued a little while longer until a young African man raised his hand.

"Do you really believe the Accords could invite conflict", he said, his accent had a rolling quality to it. There was something about him that caught Loki's attention. Power. And something more.

"Of that I have no doubt", the god said and watched as the young man spoke quietly to a man beside him. His father going by the resemblance. 

"What about the people who died in Lagos?" he asked.

"The Avengers was trying to capture a member of Hydra who was stealing chemical weapons. While the explosion was unfortunate and any lives lost is a tragedy the fact remains that many more lives would have been lost had it not been for the Avengers intervention."

"Thank you for your eloquent answer", the young man said. "Wakanda will take your words into consideration."

Wakanda. Loki remembered that name. He would have to exchange words with this young Prince. Royal to royal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Italian) 
> 
> **child (Irish)


	43. Chapter 43

It took longer than he would have liked before he managed to be introduced to the young royal. In the end he had simply let it be known that he wanted to meet the Wakandans. The Prince and his father held themselves with quiet dignity. 

"I heard you wished to formally meet us", the younger man said and offered his hand. Loki shook it, noting the strength hidden within the humble act. "I am T'Challa and this is my father, king T'Chaka of Wakanda."

"Loki Silver, prince of Asgard and Jotunheim. It is an honour."

"Please the honour is ours. Say, I noticed that the Avengers are not present during these important negotiations. Why is that?"

"A dear friend of Steve, from his time in the war, has sadly passed away. They are attending her funeral."

"I understand. It is very honourable of them. Still, it surprises me to see you speak on their behalf."

Loki had silently studied the man. There was... _something_ about him. A familiar aura. As if he was beyond a mere human but different from a divine descendant. "Several of them are related to me by blood", he said absentminded as he search his memory. "Since I have also adopted them as my children."

"I see. We have heard stories about men and women who were descendants of the gods. It is interesting to know some of these may be true."

What was it?! He knew that aura. One of the bigger Pantheons for sure. Ancient. Yet not one of those who could physically manifest...

"You have the blessing of Bast", the god said. This clearly took the two men of guard. "The cat goddess. Fascinating. Bast isn't known to care much for humans. To bless one is... remarkable."

"Wakanda holds a great respect for the _Panther_ goddess", the king said. Emphasising panther. Ha! Big or small, a cat is a cat. Still. The older man looked like someone who had once held strength but he didn't have any divine blessings.

"I spent some time in Africa many centuries ago", he said. "I'm afraid that the tribe was later wiped out by the slave trade. The Inyoka? Have you heard of them?"

"There are many tribes in Africa", T'Challa said. "But the name is familiar. There might have been some remnants but as you say, the slave trade destroyed many lives. You have given us lot to think about, your highness."

"Likewise. Your highness. Your majesty." Loki watched them go. He had a feeling that a friendship with the young Prince would serve his children well.

* * *

He had always hated funerals. Not because they were sad, that went without saying. But because he never knew how he should behave. What did you say to people who were grieving? How did you comfort someone who had lost someone? When his parents died so many had offered him platitudes and he had hated that. Still. This was for Steve. His brother. Tony couldn't imagine how difficult this was for him. Listening to people describe Margaret Carter made the engineer wish he had known the woman. Why had his dad never introduced them? Especially since they had worked together for years. 

Finally things wrapped up. The blond declined the invitation to join the memorial lunch. It was Natasha who initiated the hugging but they all joined in. Supporting their brother.

"Thanks, guys", he said softly. 

"We are here for you, Steve", Bruce said. "I better head back to the Compound. Just in case. Be careful, all of you."

"We need to go to Vienna", Tony agreed. "Gran-Gran is fighting for us after all."

"He has already managed to delay the Accords", Natasha said. "We need to be there."

With the quinjet it took them an hour to get to Austria and then settling in at the hotel. They would go in front of the UN the next day. Picking out his outfit the engineer was surprised to hear a knock on his door. It turned out to be his sister who looked uncharacteristically nervous.

"Don't look like I'm about to chew you, Nat. What is it?"

"I know it is really none of my business", she said. "But I did some research before and when I heard we were coming here..."

"Natasha... what is this about?"

"You remember Papa telling about your grandfather?"

"Yes?"

"Do you also remember that he had two daughters? Well... I did some digging and found that those lines of the family is still alive. Your third cousins or something."

"That's... wait... Nat... are they... here?"

"In the lobby. They really want to meet you. Saying that they lost contact with your side of the family a long time ago."

Tony stared at her. For all his life he had accepted that there were no extended family. That had only changed when Loki came into their lives. Now he had siblings and Clint had children he could spoil. But he had not given any thought to his grandfather's siblings. The two sisters who had remained. Now some people were waiting for him. Of course, it was possible that they only wanted money but if they didn't... then... then he would reconnect with his family's past.

"Where are they?" 

* * *

Clint and Bruce returned to the compound late in the day. Slightly jetlagged but otherwise just fine. The archer immediately called his wife and kids. Wanting to make sure that they were okay. Waiting inside were a much smaller group than he were used to. Wanda and Vision were flirting awkwardly though he doubted they themselves were aware of what they were doing. Barnes was trying to feed his sons. Both were making more of a mess than actually eating but the former had a surprising amount of patience with them. 

It was a familiar struggle so Clint took one spoon from the drawer and began to feed Jason, leaving Ethan to the brunet. Who gave him a look before shrugging. It was quite domestic and very quiet.

"You could head to the farm if you want", Bruce suggested. "Be with your family."

"And not be here if something happens? Not a chance. Regardless if we need to mobilise or if we need to go on the defensive I won't be a sitting duck."

"Do you really believe anyone would attack the Avengers?" Vision asked.

"I don't trust Ross", he muttered. "He is up to something. I know it."

"Let's hope things go smoothly", Barnes said. "For all our sake." He kissed his sons' foreheads with a sad expression. "They are missing Loki. So do I. But I have trust in him."

"We all do", Clint said. "We all do."

* * *

The Wakandan embassy was comfortable but lacked any of the advanced technology available in his homeland. Looking up at the night sky T'Challa couldn't help but wonder how white people could stand living without the stars. Light pollution and smog together made the sky a grey soup. It was also far colder than he was used to. He had been told this was actually mild weather but he wasn't sure he believed that. 

Behind him his father was reading through some documents. The king wanted to sign the Accords as they were, since he didn't think they would actually impact Wakanda all that much. T'Challa wasn't so sure anymore. The so-called god had made some very good points when arguing for rather big amendments to the Accords. Going so far as to suggest they should start over.

But while T'Chaka was willing to listen to his counsel he was also stubborn. Together with a tendency to keep Wakanda hidden and, in his opinion, safe. It wasn't exactly the easiest environment to argue a different course of action. For now, the Prince intended to stand his ground, get more information and then go from there.


	44. Chapter 44

They were much older than him. Two elderly women who still managed to look somewhat youthful. Tony couldn't help but notice how much they reminded him of Loki. The same high cheekbones and green eyes. He wondered if their grey hair had once been raven black. Either way, they had spotted him from across the lobby and was talking excitedly to each other as he came closer.

"My", one of them said in accented English. "You look just like young Anthony."

"There is much of great grandfather as well", the other one said. "Mama would always show me the pictures."

"Um... hi. Tony Stark. But I guess you already know that. I don't want to be rude but..."

"How do you know we are who we say we are?" the first one laughed. "I figured you would ask that." She reached into her purse and pulled out a framed photograph. It was different from the one he owned himself. The boy was only a baby and the clothes were different. Yet the people in it were the same. His Gran-Gran in a tasteful dress and a soft smile on her face. 

"I brought this", the second one said and showed a locket. Inside were Loki as Lena Valencio and Edward Starq. "It is an heirloom. My mother got it from her mother who took care of it after great grandmother passed away."

"I... wow... I... I had no idea you two even existed", he admitted. Both smiled and it was achingly familiar. 

"We lost all contact with Anthony's side of the family so it is no wonder. My name is Lucia Valencio", the first said. "I decided to take great grandmother's name."

"My name is Anné-Marie Zwart", the other said. "My son refused to believe me when I told him I was meeting you." Anne-Marie giggled.

"You have a son?" Tony asked curiously. 

"I do, and a daughter. Both are in their twenties by now."

"I have three daughters, all of whom have families of their own", Lucia said.

Overwhelmed with strange emotions the engineer insisted he would be allowed to treat them to dinner at a nearby restaurant. An expensive one. They agreed after some persuasion. He learned a lot over the course of the evening. Foremost, he realised that they had no idea that they were related to a god. They didn't connect that their great grandmother was the Norse god of mischief. And considering all the craziness that came with that knowledge he decided to keep quiet about it. Though he intended to make them meet with Loki at least. 

Tony also learnt that the Trickster's daughters with Edward Starq had been named Katherine and Helena. Both had married out of love and went on to champion equal rights for women. During the second World War their own children, Lucia's and Anne-Marie's parents had offered refuge for fleeing Jews even as they were protecting their own families. Both sides of had kept in contact over the decades. Heading a small but successful business that made candy.

"We never guessed that the famous Stark of the United States were in fact Anthony's side of the family", Lucia said. "But I did often think that it seemed like you and Howard both had inherited great grandfather's spirit."

"Not to mention that you look like Edward", Anné-Marie said.

"Maybe. You two look a lot like Gran... great granny", the engineer had nearly said _Gran-Gran_ which would have raised some questions. "Just greyer."

Both women laughed. "You should see my youngest daughter", Lucia said. "The spitting image. She is also very mischievous. Grandmother always said her mother was the incarnation of mischief."

Well. She wasn't wrong.

"I would love to meet them one day. Maybe you all could come visit."

"That would be wonderful. But your life seems so busy. Being an Avenger."

"And dangerous", Anné-Marie sighed. "You have been in such dangerous situations. Aliens, robots, literal gods."

"It is not that bad", Tony said. "We are a good team that work together. You could definitely say we are a family."

"That sounds wonderful. I hope they change the Accords. I heard that... what's his name?"

"Loki", Lucia inserted.

"Yes, I heard that Loki is championing big changes to the Accords. Making them better."

"He is one of us, after all", the engineer said, thankful for years of handling noisy journalists. Otherwise he wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face. "The Avengers have a lot to thank him for."

Both women nodded in understanding. And the brunett felt his heart ache as he realised that they really were related to him. Because they truly had a lot in common.

* * *

People were filing in. T'Challa stood by the large windowed wall. He had failed to dissuade his father. At this rate the Accords would be signed regardless of the protests. The question that remained was if the Avengers would accept this or choose to oppose even further. If it wasn't because of his loyalty to his father the young Prince would have sided with them.

A young looking woman with red hair approached him. Dressed in a form-fitting suit he moved with the grace of a killer.

"Prince T'Challa?" she asked. "My name is Natasha Romanoff. On behalf of all the Avengers I would like to offer my condolences for the lives lost in Lagos. I assure you, if we had had any other option we would have taken it."

"So I have been told", the young man said. "I know who you are, agent Romanoff. Your reputation preceded you. As do those of your siblings." She was good, he gave her that. Nothing but the slightest twitch gave away that he had startled her.

"We are not exactly working undercover anymore", Romanoff said calmly. "It looks like it is starting."

"Do you intend to sign, miss Romanoff?"

"And sign away my freedom? Not really." Sweeping away she joined her team who were all standing in the back. At the podium Wakand's King waited for the sorl to die down. As T'Chaka began talking T'Challa caught a slight movement. Realising at the very last second what it was.

"Look out!" he shouted and jumped towards his father only to be pushed away by the following explosion. 

* * *

All things considered the property damage was bigger than the amount of lives lost. Loki had used much of his magic to help. Healing where he could, moving debris. He had advised his children that they avoided using their magic openly at this point in time. Everyone already knew he was a god so they didn't question his abilities. They _would_ question why the Avengers had magic.

"Dad!" Steve was running up to him, face pale and expression urgent. "They think it is Bucky!"

"Calm down, _leanbh*_ ", the Trickster said. "What are you trying to say?"

"They found footage and now they think Bucky placed the bomb! What if they come after him?!"

A chill went through the god but he steeled himself. Instinctively he knew who he needed to see first. He had to trust that Bruce and Clint would hold down the fort. Natasha was standing with the Prince of Wakanda. The young man was visibly grieving his father's death even through his stoic expression. Loki caught some of his words.

"In my culture death isn't the end, it is merely the beginning", he said.

"That has to be comforting", his daughter said uncertainly. 

"I have no use of belief. I will find the one who did this."

"Prince T'Challa..."

"I will find this Winter Soldier and I will end him!" The man got no further as the god of mischief stepped in front of him. Effectively barring his way. 

"He wasn't the one who did this", Loki said calmly but in a hard tone.

"And how can you be so sure."

"Because he is in the Avengers Compound caring for our infant sons." This gave the young Prince a pause. "I can understand the urge for revenge but James is innocent. You seem like an honourable man, heir-apparent T'Challa. Can you trust me when I tell you that my husband is innocent?"

Now the young king-to-be really gave him a surprised look. Some of the anger bled from his and he relaxed. Natasha, bless her heart, took out her phone and started showing the young ruler pictures of James and the boys. Of Loki while he was pregnant and of their small wedding celebration. 

"I see. Someone else is behind this. Whatever reason they might have I can't seeing it being a good one."

"I don't think they know Barnes is already living with the Avengers", the spy said. "They are aiming to set him up but if he is not on the same continent..."

"I understand. I will grieve for my father later. For now we have work to do", T'Challa said. "Preventing the Accords for one thing. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise even if the price was far too high."

Just then Tony was running towards them, clutching his phone tightly. "This is bad", he panted. "This is sooo freaking bad!"

" _Bambino**_? What is wrong?"

"A group of enhanced has gather just outside of Berlin. Saying that if the Accords go through they will level the city to the ground. We have less than twenty-four hours before they begin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Irish) 
> 
> **child (Italian) 
> 
> Have I've mentioned I'm making bracelets? Well, now I have. There are some examples on my subreddit as well as some cat pictures 🙂 in case you have forgotten it is r/ikajoverse


	45. Chapter 45

Biting his thumb Tony felt anxious. The timing of everything was just... bad. So, so, bad. This wasn't good at all. Everyone had gathered in the Wakandan embassy, having received the invitation from Prince T'Challa himself.

"Don't do that", Loki admonished gently and pulled his hand away from his mouth. "You will needlessly hurt yourself."

"I don't know what to do, Gran-Gran", the engineer said and started to pace instead. "What is the best course of action here?"

"You stop thinking you need to have all the answers is a good place to start." The god turned to their host. "You have been more involved with the political side of things. What's your suggestion?"

"As I see it we are fighting on two fronts", the Wakandan prince said calmly. "Meaning we will need to approach this from two directions as well."

"So what do you suggest?" Steve urged.

"That all of us except the Norse god go to face this group of enhanced in Germany."

"Not to be rude but what good will you do?" Tony said, still pacing. "There are five of us, six with you. There are at least twenty enhanced threatening Berlin."

"You underestimate me", T'Challa Rose from his chair and approached the window. "For generations the Black Panther have protected Wakanda. It has been my family's duty for a long time. A duty I inherited from my father. Now it will be used to prevent further death and destruction."

"The blessing of Bast", Loki mused. "I think we need to prevent bloodshed on both sides. The enhanced need to be stopped, yes, but it is likely they are acting out of fear. All they are seeing is an agreement that would make their very existence illegal."

"But Tony is making a good point", Natasha said. "It would be six against more than twenty enhanced."

"We _could_ ask Clint to bring the rest", Rhodey suggested. "With the quinjet it would be enough time."

"Or I teleport them", the Trickster shrugged. "However, James can't leave the twins and I would rather not exposing them to the world just yet. I doubt Bruce would want to risk leaving the compound as well. That would mean Clint, Wanda, Pietro and Vision. Making it ten against twenty."

"Meaning we need more manpower", the blond concluded. "Any ideas."

Sam shifted on his feat. He had kept out of it until now. "I might now a guy", he admitted.

An idea had started to creep up on Tony. "So do I", he said. "Think you can drop me off in Queens, Gran-Gran?"

* * *

"There is nothing that say they won't try to come after Barnes here", Bruce said when they got the call. The man in question was currently trying to feed his two very mischievous children. "I definitely don't trust Ross. That man is a menace. I rather not leave the compound undefended."

"Pops figured as much", Clint said as he prepped his bow. "We have a couple of pick-ups to do before heading over to Germany. Some guy in LA and Tony is getting someone from Queens."

"Will there be enough time?" Vision asked. "I understand we are on a deadline."

"Already ahead of you. Pops left a mage stone that will allow me to teleport two times. Meaning one trip to LA and one trip to Queens. Once we got our extras we will take the quinjet to Berlin."

"Where to first?" Wanda asked.

"Los Angeles. Tony will send a location for pick-up later."

Letting them keep planning the scientist joined Barnes as the former sergeant was splattered with food. Bruce's baby brothers giggled.

"There is no doubt you are Loki's kids", the man muttered. "You two are quite the imps." Still he smiled and just kept feeding them.

"You are doing a great job", the shorter man said. 

"Thanks. What did you all decide?"

"I will stay here, just in case. The rest will go."

"And Loki?"

"Will continue to negotiate in Vienna. That is his arena. We just have to trust him."

"I do. Once Jason and Ethan is asleep we should prepare and look over the defence systems. Just in case you are right."

* * *

Peter Parker was much younger than the engineer had anticipated. While he had figured out that the kid was young he had assumed it meant like seventeen. Yet he was no more than fifteen. The only reason he didn't feel completely horrible about dragging him into this mess was that the Accords would affect him as well. And because Tony was going to give him a much needed upgrade.

"Do you have a passport?" he asked.

"No? Why would I need a passport?" the kid frowned in confusion. 

"Because we are going to Germany."

"Germany?! I can't go to Germany! I... I have homework..."

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't say that", sighing the brunet messaged the bridge if his nose. "Look kid. There is a lot going on but basically we need to stop a bunch of terrified people who are threatening to level Berlin to ground because they are scared of what might happen."

"... what might happen?"

"There is some important documents being discussed right now. If they are not changed they would outlaw anyone who is... different. Not unlike yourself. There is someone fighting to make important changes to these documents but we need to buy them time. If Berlin is destroyed that person's fight will be for nothing."

"So why do you need me?"

"Because there are not enough of us and too many of them. If there was any other way I wouldn't drag you into this but there is no choice. Granted I had planned to reach out for a while. This just pushed the issue."

Parker thought about it. Most of it probably went over his head but he seemed to be a good kid. Finally he nodded.

"With great power most come great responsibility", he said and stood. "I will do my best mr. Stark. But maybe we don't have to tell my aunt?"

Tell the sexy but frankly scary May Parker he intended to bring her nephew to a fight? Yeah, he definitely wanted to avoid _that_ conversation. He would just have to keep an eye on the kid and make certain nothing bad happened.

* * *

When the Avengers showed up at your door and said they need your help, you helped. No question asked. Scott barely had time to lock his front door before he was basically yanked by Hawkeye and made to join the small group. The archer looked at some kind of stone and everything swirled. Next thing he knew he was standing in a field. A big jet waiting for them.

"You got him then", a voice said and as the former convict blinked in surprise at seeing none other than Tony Stark. Biting his tongue Scott knew Hank would be... unhappy... if he learned about this. But the billionaire was still part of the Avengers. A teenager was with the genius inventor. 

"I wasn't aware you intended to rob a daycare", Hawkeye quipped.

"Very funny, Birdbrain", Stark said. "We better get going. We need to intercept the enhanced before they get too close to the city."

"Don't worry", the girl, Wanda, said while smiling. "It is just friendly banter between brothers."

"Don't you mean friends?" Ant-Man asked her.

"No? They are brothers. They bicker all the time. It is a sibling thing."

He knew he was out of his depth here but... well. If the Avengers came knocking on your door and wanted your help, you helped. Even if he wasn't quite sure what they expected him to do.

As they boarded the plane Scott thought he saw movement just out of the corner of his eyes. But turning revealed nothing. So, probably just his imagination. Though the cabin smelled like wet dog for some reason.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up that things are happening at the same time in this chapter.

Despite what many would call an emergency the United Nations had managed to find a different location to gather at. It was obviously kept secret from the public. Things were tense. Very tense. There was a lot going on at the same time. Too much for many of them. Quite a few were eyeing Loki uncertainly. He took this in stride. Standing up he approached the podium. 

"I'd like to start with acknowledging the losses that the world suffered when the bomb went off", he said. "The lives lost were wasteful and unnecessary. However, that doesn't change anything in terms of the Accord. In fact, the situation in Germany highlights exactly why it would be wrong and foolish to sign this document."

"Excuse me", the German representative said. "Are you saying that a group of... of... freaks threatening Berlin is proof we _don't_ need the Accords? I'd say it is the opposite."

"I'd like for you to consider the wording you just used", the god said calmly. "You called these people 'freaks'. Because they scare you, because they are different. Surely with your country's history you can understand why that kind of thinking is concerning?"

"I... that..." the man deflated.

"Those enhanced are terrified. So they are lashing out against a document that they consider unfair and that will in effect make their very existence illegal. They are not the only ones either. The Accords by their very nature aims to punish people for their mere existence."

"Can you extrapolate on that?" the Swedish representative requested. 

"It is right in here", Loki gestured to the thick book and opened it on a random page. "Article ten section five. 'Any individual who are found to perform higher than the the upper levels of what is considered average will be classified as an enhanced individual. That individual will then be a subject of the Accords as is specified under article five section two'. It says nothing of what is meant with a higher performance or what exactly is being performed. Meaning that the Accords could apply to top athletes as well as people with higher levels of intelligence. People who might be outliers but otherwise can't be classified as enhanced."

Several was now flipping through the thick pages frantically. Landing on the same page and reading the exact same words. But the god wasn't done. He flipped to another random page.

"Article sixteen section five. 'Any individual who has been classified as enhanced has to make themselves available to their nations military force and only operate according their supervisors wishes. Further, an enhanced has to answer to the Committee headed by the United Nations. An enhanced individual can at any point be forcefully retired and relocated. Should they fail to comply they will face imprisonment for an undetermined amount of time, no trial required'. All of the above is in direct violation of your Geneva Convention and the declaration of human rights. Meaning that the Accords would be a contradictory document. Moreover, more countries has so far agreed to sign the Accords, which violates human rights, than have ratified the declaration of human rights and the declaration of children's right."

It was working. He could see it was working. Praying to the Norns he hoped it would work quickly enough. 

* * *

"So, you like cats?" Sam asked the Wakandan prince who was dressed in a catsuit of all things. Including a mask with small ears. The whole thing was black. Probably had something to do with him calling himself the Black Panther. Steve noted that T'Challa didn't bother to answer the question. All of them were nervous. They had intercepted the group of enhanced on a field outside of Berlin and was waiting for reinforcements. Buying time. With a megaphone Natasha was attempting to negotiate. 

The leader of the enhanced were a woman with black hair and catlike eyes. Even from a distance it appeared that her fingers ended with claws instead of nails. One of the enhanced was riding a giant lizard.

"We don't have to do this", the spy said. "All you are doing is making people more scared."

The group glared and one of them produced a megaphone of their own. Giving it to the woman in front. "We won't trust the word of the Avengers!" she shouted with a heavy German accent. Throwing the soldier back to the war for a moment. "You have caused all this without a care for those who suffer because of your actions."

"We never agreed with the Accords", Nat tried. "In fact, at this very moment the best diplomat in the whole galaxy is trying to turn things around. If you attack Berlin now, you will only prove that their fear of you is justified."

"If the Accords are signed, their fears will be justified", the woman hissed. "We won't let them control us."

"This isn't working", Steve said. "They are getting ready. Tony, please tell my you are in position."

 _"We are five minuted out, Cap. Hold out till then"_ , hearing his brother's assured voice helped to ground him a bit. Hefting his shield he raised in front of him. He didn't want to hurt people who were just scared but he couldn't let them hurt others in the process.

* * *

"Banner!" Bruce turned around and saw Selvig hobbling towards him. He waited politely. "The US army is gathering outside the compound. With tanks!"

"What?! FRIDAY bring up a visual!"

" _As you say Doc_ ", the A.I. said and a holographic screen popped up. And just as the astrophysicist had said tanks and bandwagons were gathering outside, focused at the gate. With the American flag proudly displayed. In front stood...

Thaddeus Ross.

FRIDAY had to have done something because suddenly the man's voice was being conveyed alongside visuals.

_"...you will surrender or we will level this place to the ground."_

"You will have to repeat that. _Ross_ ", the scientist said. With perhaps a bit too much venom. The Secretary of State got red in the face.

_"Hand over Barnes immediately. He will face justice for bombing the UN building in Vienna. Then you will surrender or we will level this whole compound."_

"Barnes haven't left the US in over two years. We have in fact evidence that he couldn't possibly be responsible for the bombing", Bruce said. "I'm also noting that you are threatening to attack buildings housing a large number of civilians. There is also two infant children here."

 _"And why would there be children at the Avengers Compound?_ " Ross demanded.

"They are Loki's children." Bruce saw no reason to explain that technically so was he. Nor did he want to explain that Barnes was the father of those boys. What he did say had some effect. The infuriating man paled slightly at the mention of the god but apparently he decided that it matter. Maybe because the Trickster was not there.

_"You got thirty minutes!"_

That wasn't a lot of time but hopefully it would be enough. 

* * *

The discussion had devolved into several shouting matches as several representatives was seeing things in the Accords that was never agreed upon in the first place. Several more was starting to truly realise why the document was such a big problem in the first place. They were fighting with staunch defenders of the Accords. Many of whom represented dictatorships who stood a lot to gain from an agreement like this.

Midst it all stood Loki. To anyone else the situation would have been out of control but he wasn't the god of chaos for nothing. He took it all, the confusion, the anger, the fear and the chaos. Spinning it, forming it. Changing it. Creating order. A different kind of order.

* * *

A huge fist collided with Tony's face. He had placed himself between the giant of a man and the Spider-kid. Because he still felt very responsible for bringing him into this fight. Though he had to admit that the kid was handling himself pretty well. He used nearby poles in the ground to propel himself through the air while shooting webs. Effectively stopping the advancement of the enhanced without actually hurting them. Even so, the engineer had jumped in between as he had seen the huge guy send Steve flying. Thankfully the soldier was made of tough material and had been fine.

T'Challa had turned out to be a strong fighter. Moving with both skill and strength. Enhanced strength. And apparently his cute little catsuit was made with vibranium. Which was a bit of a whammy. Scott Lang had also been surprisingly useful even though all he did was shrinking.

Tony crashed into the ground and groaned. His head was spinning. Seidr flowed and started to heal contusions and bruises. They had agreed to avoid using magic unless absolutely necessary. It would cause way too many questions. For now at least. 

He wasn't prepared for _something_ to pick him up. It carried him in what he could only assume was the mouth. Going by the exhales he felt. Just as suddenly as he had been picked up he was placed back on the ground. Blinking he stared. Others nearby had paused.

Because standing in front of him was none other than Fenris. The great wolf. His tongue lolled in a canine laughter. 

" _Hello brother!_ " Tony noted in his state of slight shock that Fenris was wagging his tail. Not unlike a big dog. " _I'm here to help._ "

* * *

Thirty minutes were not a whole lot but they didn't take any chances. An intern had been tasked with sneaking the twins out of the Compound if the army breached the gates. In the meanwhile Bruce and Barnes was going to fight for as long as they could. The former assassin had found two large automatic rifles that he held with confidence. In comparison the scientist had merely changed clothes into a pair of stretching pants and a stretching sleeveless top.

"Finally", Ross barked. "Open this gates and no one else will have to get hurt."

No one else. Which meant that the old walrus intended to hurt them.

"I don't think so."

"What?! I'm warning you, Banner. Your out of control beast doesn't stand a chance!"

Out of control? Bruce smirked as he closed his eyes and focused. It had been a long time since he lost control. Under Loki's tutelage he had learned nothing but control. His body changed fluently without any surges. After all, he and Hulk was the same person. Ross of course couldn't know that his former victim had learnt control years ago.

Opening his eyes he grinned wider. Now from a higher position. Voice still growly he imitated Hulk's old speech pattern.

"Ross bad, Hulk smash!" It was soooo satisfying seeing the man back away. "Just kidding. But if you try anything you will be sma..."

A shadow had suddenly fallen over the ground. It wasn't a cloud that would have made things a bit grey. This shadow blocked out the sun. Soldiers was looking up with expressions ranging from shock to pure terror. Turning slowly Bruce felt his jaw drop. Rising from the nearby sea was a snake. A ginormous, impossibly big, snake. It's body was so big that the whole Compound could have been swallowed in just one bite. The serpent flicked its tongue as water droplets fell from It's black scales.

" _I won't let you hurt my brothers or my father's mate_ ", it hissed and Bruce knew immediately what, or rather who, the snake was.

Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few notes. Those articles Loki quoted is something I made up myself. There is some basis from the Accords in the movie but these specific excerpts was just my own writing. 
> 
> The group of enhanced has no basis in the comics, MCU, cartoons or anything else. They are basically a bunch of original characters that function as a plot device. Of any of them is similar to an existing character it is a mere coincidence. 
> 
> This is by far the longest fanfic I've ever written and I'm not close to being finished. Yikes.


	47. Chapter 47

So that was Fenris. Clint have heard his siblings tell him about the wolf but it was very different to seeing the beast himself. The first word that popped into his mind was "huge". Fenris was easily twice as big as a human. Running around the field he knocked down the enhanced hostiles through sheer mass. He even picked up the giant lizard with his mouth and shook his head. As if holding a toy. 

While this didn't stop the enhanced it slowed then down. And for that, the archer was grateful. The Avengers and their allies could regroup and take stock of any injuries. 

"So..." the shrinking guy said. "That's a really huge dog."

"It is not a dog", Natasha said. "That's the Fenris Wolf."

"A wolf?"

"Isn't the Fenris Wolf from Norse Mythology?" the Spider-kid asked. "Why would he be here? And isn't he supposed to cause Ragnarok? Why did he call mr. Stark 'brother' and can I pet him?"

"Geez, Shellhead", Clint said. "How the heck did you manage someone who can talk just as much as you do?"

"Shut up, Birdbrain. Look, kid. There are some things that are a bit too complicated to explain right now. Fenris is here to help us. That will have to be all we need to know right now. Hopefully we get some news soon from Vienna."

"They are coming", Wanda said, hands glowing.

* * *

As the impossibly huge serpent opened its maw and bent down towards the soldiers they started to run away. First to run were the infantrymen who didn't wait for even a second before legging it. Some vehicles, like the tanks, turned and hightailed out of there. The armoured cars did some attempts to turn around but in the end the men inside abandoned the vehicles and began running as if their lives depended on it. Ross stared up at the big, pink, maw and maybe realising there were no fighting something that big he too turned around and started running away from there.

Bucky watched as Jormungand shrank slightly and coiled himself around the Compound. The serpent picked up an abandoned car and started playing with it. Biting, flicking it up in the air and then catching it. Shaking his head. To his side Bruce was talking to the people inside, calming them. He hadn't changed back into his human form though. 

"Do you think I'm technically the step-dad to a giant snake?" he asked.

"That would depend on the two of you, wouldn't it?" Banner said. "You are not a step-parent to any of us after all."

That was true. It was a daunting feeling that Loki, his Loki, had actually fathered a giant snake. Okay. Maybe it was a bit weird that the god had fathered animals at all. With some giantess several centuries before. He couldn't imagine how that worked. Someone was poking him. James gave the doctor an annoyed look but the man was just pointing upwards. Following the finger he looked up and...

Oh...

" _I was hoping I could be allowed to meet my youngest siblings_ ", Jormungand hissed. " _If I may be allowed_."

"That's... er... sure... you might want to be... um... be smaller?"

" _I can do that. You are Father's mate. I'd like to get to know you too._ "

"I go fetch them", Bruce said and patted his shoulder. "Loki should know what has happened here as well. I'll be right back... Bucky."

The former soldier froze and then stared after the man. A warm feeling spreading in his chest. He found himself smiling as a much smaller version of the serpent approached him.

* * *

A break have been issued before the arguments could devolve into actual fist fights. The phone groaned ominously in his grip. Bruce had just informed him of what had happened back at the Compound. Ross. That man would regret ever getting involved with his children. Jormungand making himself known after centuries was unexpected however. Loki had not seen his monstrous children in a very long time. They had reached out to their newest mortal siblings. But now the Midgard Serpent had shown himself in front of ordinary humans. An update from Germany had informed him that Fenris was fighting alongside the Avengers against the enhanced. 

He had been reluctant to reveal his family to the world but after this he had no such qualms. Recess was ending and people were once more filing into the room. Striding up the podium he made no secret of his anger. Humans hurriedly got out of his way. It was barely that he waited until everyone had gotten seated.

"I was just informed that the American Secretary of State threatened to attack the Avengers Compound", he said. "In process threatening a huge amount of civilians working there and two infant boys. Aiming at Bruce Banner and James Buchanan Barnes." There had been a sorl and it went dead quiet as he spoke. "The accusations against Sergeant Barnes can be refuted with evidence that he wasn't even on the same continent. Something that had already been supplied to the investigation that are now looking into other suspects."

"You are taking this very personally", the representative of the United States said with a sneer. "Is there perhaps some resentment there? For your defeat?"

Loki glared at the man and he flinched. "I'm taking this personal, yes. Because the ones being threatened are my family. Not only my spouse and my infant sons but all of my family is being threatened by these Accords. All except one is currently risking their lives to avoid a disaster as you sit here and squabble."

"Pardon me", the British representative said. "Are you claiming that the Avengers are your family?"

"I'm not claiming anything. Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and Tony Stark are all related to me by blood. And to honour this bond I officially adopted them years ago. James and I got married shortly after the incident with Ultron. Before our twins were born."

Many humans were exchanging confused looks. Trying to comprehend what he was telling them. That was until the Greek representative raised his hand. "Are you talking about gods having children with mortal? Like in the old myths?" Others looked at him and he shrugged. "Greek Mythology is full of stories of the Olympians chasing humans and having children with them. Why wouldn't the same apply to the Norse Pantheon."

"I doubt Zeus has ever stopped chasing mortals", the Trickster said dryly. "It is the one truth of the universe. Gods have children with mortals. Many of those who can be classified as enhanced are either the descendants of gods or have been blessed by one. A few are neither."

"Does Thor have any descendants?" a female representative said. That question kept popping up everytime he explained this. Well, the truth never changed. 

"While my brother fathered many children back in the day not a single one of them lived long enough to have children of his own. I'm the outlier among the gods. Because I care. Because I don't view mortal lives as insignificant. And I'm here, telling you that the path you are on will cause conflict. What is happening now will happen again if you sign those Accords."

The American representative rose to his feet suddenly, visibly upset. "Why was I just informed that general Ross was attacked by a monstrous snake?!" he roared. "What is the meaning of this?"

Loki smirked. "Ah, that would be my son. Jormungand." He hid a laugh as all three Scandinavian representatives, and the Icelandic one, chocked on their water. "He is more well known as the Midgard Serpent. I would assume he didn't like Ross threatening his brothers. I will also take the opportunity to inform you that Fenris, another son of mine, is currently assisting the Avengers in Germany."

"But..." the Swedish representative said. "Fenris... isn't that Fenrisulven? The Wolf? Are you telling me that an actual wolf is fighting alongside the Avengers? Why... because they are his broth... er siblings."

"Indeed. This squabble have gone on for long enough. Now is time to make a decision. And be assured that I will be in this world long enough that history will never forget what kind of decision was made today."

The god of mischief stepped away from the podium. He had kept out of most conflicts because it had seemed like the right thing to do. No more. This was the home of his children. He was determined to protect it. One way or another. 

* * *

" _Boss_ ", FRIDAY said in his ear.

"What? I'm a bit busy here." Tony dodged another attack from mr. Beefy. Seriously, the guy rivalled Thor in terms of muscles. 

" _I've got an update from Vienna. The Accords has been stopped and dropped completely_ ", the A.I. said. Now that was good news. " _Further more, Gran-Gran has announced to the world that the original five Avengers are his descendants._ "

Pausing for only a moment the engineer started to grin. He called on his seidr while speaking in the comms.

"The Silvertongue Protocol is in effect", he said. "Loki did it!" With that he cast the battle's first spell.


	48. Chapter 48

After Tony had initiated the Silvertongue Protocol it had mostly been about containment. While the engineer had been unabashed about using magic Steve had been more restrained. Timing his spells with his movements. Even so it became very obvious just how much Loki had actually taught them. Natasha would go invisible only to popup somewhere else on the field. Clint put spells on his arrows, making them behave in ways that should have been impossible. If it wasn't for the fact that Wanda had used her magic throughout the fight their opponents would likely have reacted more to this sudden onslaught of magic. The none-Silver members of the Avengers was after all already familiar with this development. Meaning that the biggest shock was coming from the three temporary members. 

Looking out over the field the soldier conjures a rope that he handed to Pietro. "Tie them up", he said and watched as the speedster grinned and went off. Running at an incredible speed. About twenty minutes later all of the enhanced hostiles had been contained. The leader in front was spitting curses. Glaring at them. 

"Look", Tony said and squatted in front of her. "We get it. You felt threatened by the Accords and rightly so. But what good would it have done to take Berlin? Hurting millions of innocent people who was barely aware of this happening."

"Traitors! You are like us yet you side with _them_!"

"We don't", the engineer said calmly. "We were stopping you from committing genocide. While we were fighting the best person in the whole universe was working to stop the Accords. And he did. There will still be a document about accountability but it won't treat enhanced individual as sub-human or break international law."

She gaped at him.

"That said", Natasha said, joining them. "You are all likely looking at prison sentences for your actions but at least you will get a trial. A fair one. You put people in danger and threatened even more. It could easily be considered a form of terrorism."

Taking of his colw Steve conjured some water into his hand and splashed it on his face. Scott came up to him, opening his helmet. "You wouldn't be able to make orange slices would you?" he asked, sounding tired.

"That's still a bit beyond me", the soldier admitted. "I am better at conjuring inorganic matter. But Clint is pretty good at the organic stuff. Maybe you can ask him?"

"Sounds good. Can I just ask, could you always use magic or..." the man made a spinning motion with his two index fingers.

"Yes and no. Dad has theorised we have used magic more or less our whole life but never in a way that anyone would notice. Ourselves included. But after we decided to be a family we started to manifest more and more powers."

"Your dad? Like..." 

Steve smiled and explained in a simplified manner about their adopted parent and their relationship to him. It was kind of funny seeing Scott's eyes grow large. When he was finished the man just paused for a few moments before he said: "That's awesome! I bet Cassie will love hearing this."

"Cassie?"

"My daughter."

"Aha. Maybe we can find something to write on and something to write with. We could sign it for her." A hand then tugged on his arm and he looked down slightly. The Spider-kid was rolling on his feet as if he was nervous. "You want one too?"

"Really?! I mean if it isn't too much to ask. I would love it, it would be so awesome! That would be really great Mr. Captain, sir!"

"Where you from, kid?" the soldier asked.

"Um, Queens?" Smiling the blond had an urge to ruffle the boy's hair. Sadly the mask prevented this.

"Brooklyn." If anything this made the kid even more exciting. 

* * *

After everything had finally concluded Loki found a silent corner and teleported. First he went to the Compound. Just in time it turned out, as Jason and Ethan were having a complete meltdown. Screaming and crying. James seemed at his wits end. Approaching his husband the Trickster touched his shoulder slightly. Making the man turn and upon seeing him, engulf him in a hug. Seeing him calmed the boys for a few seconds before they started to cry harder. Lifting both of them into his arms he shushed and soothed them.

"I've missed you too", he said and kissed their heads. "I heard there was some problems with Ross."

"That's putting it mildly", the former sergeant grunted. "Bruce is outside if you want to see him."

"I intend for all of us to join the others in Germany", Loki glanced at James. "Our... secret... is not a secret anymore."

"Oh? Well, good riddance." Pausing the god wished he had a hand free so that he could kiss his husband. But because his mate was so amazing he seemed to sense this and kissed the Trickster instead.

Outside were Bruce and... Jormungand. The serpent was not nearly his true size but still bigger than when Loki had seen his son last. Coiled on the grass he was holding a conversation with the doctor who seemed very excited. Handing the twins to his husband the god approached the two slowly. Jor noticed him first.

" _Father_ ", he hissed. " _You are well._ "

"So are you, my love", the Trickster said softly. "I have missed you." He held out a hand and the big head nudged it.

" _I have many brothers now._ "

"That you do."

" _I protected them._ "

"That you did. Thank you. And I'm sorry for leaving you here all alone."

" _Why? You did what you had to in order to protect us. I like my oceans and I have watched over our family. Now I can meet them as well._ "

"Still. I should have done more. But never doubt that I love you, Jor."

" _Never did. You cared for us and protected us. Of course we know that you love us. You have always loved greatly. That's what makes you so powerful._ "

Loki dried away a few tears and hugged his serpent of a son. "We need to go. The rest is in Germany and from what I understand, so is Fenris." Feeling certain he would see Jormungand again he turned to the rest of his family who were standing ready. An instant later they were outside Berlin. A group of twenty were being loaded into police cars. Vision, Wanda and Pietro were insisting that they would come along. Support to keep an eye on the enhanced but possibly to make certain nothing happened to _them_.

"Gran-Gran!" Tony waved to him. "Looks like everyone is her..." he was interrupted by a loud bark. Fenris bounded up the new arrivals with an enthusiasm well remembered from the time when he was a puppy. Tail wagging and everything. 

" _Father! Father! Look! Look! I helped! Oh! Baby brothers!_ " the wolf was panting excitedly and jumping from side to side. Not unlike a dog waiting for a ball to be tossed.

"Fen", the god said. "Thank you for helping your siblings. Both now and before." Again the canine barked and jumped a bit more. Well. It couldn't hurt. Conjuring a big ball he threw it across the field and Fenris bounded after it. 

"He is looking like a big dog", James laughed. "Hey, Steve! Why don't you go throw the ball for him?"

"I'm a bit busy, Bucky!" the blond was talking to a police officer but when Fen dropped the ball at his feet, and terrifying the officer, he picked it up and threw it. Making his furry brother a happy one indeed.

"Sergeant Barnes." T'Challa was wearing some kind of suit and nodded to the group. The former soldier shied away a bit. "Be at ease my friend. I know of your innocence."

"Er... thanks?"

"That arm, is it completely metal?"

"Uh, pretty much?"

"If I may ask, does it have any sensory input? How durable is it?"

"...that's... there is no sensory input... as for durable... I'm not sure? It spasms sometimes but..."

"I see." The heir-apparent of Wakanda didn't say anything else about the matter. "Stark. Have you found anything on the real bomber?"

"What?" Tony had been chatting with... a child? Loki assumed it was a child going by the pitch of his voice and his frame. A child in a rather skintight spandex suit. At least it looked like spandex. "Oh, yeah. They are looking for someone called Helmut Zemo. Sokovian. Lost his family when Ultron attacked. Have no idea what he intended to accomplished by framing Bucky."

James stilled for a second and then he blinked rapidly. Loki didn't miss that his husband had tears in his eyes. As for himself he felt a warmth toward his children. The former assassin would never be a father to them but it seemed that they were finally accepting him as a friend.

"I will aid in finding him", the African Prince said. "Then I will need to return home. There is a lot to see to after my father's death. But know that you are welcome to visit. All of you." With that, the man left.

The god took once more notice of the child. Who had started to play with Fenris. Throwing the ball and giving him scratches. Setting down Ethan, who alongside Jason took the opportunity to run around among the adults, burning energy. The soft grass cushioning them when they stumbled. Approaching the spandex clad boy he reached out his hand to remove the mask. Only for the child to jump out of his way, spinning on his heels.

"... Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! You... you are Loki! The actual... oh my gosh! Um... er... hi?"

"What's your name, Child?"

"Huh? Uh... I'm Spider... Spider-Man."

"That would be your moniker. What's your name?"

"That's... it is my secret identity..."

"The police have left. Only Fenris can hear you and I could just ask Tony. But I rather hear it from you first."

"Peter Parker..." the boy lifted his mask. Showing just how young he was. "How did you know that Mr. Stark knew my identity?"

"I know my son", the god said dryly. "While I don't approve of him involving you I can't blame him either." The boy had big brown eyes and was kind of babyfaced. But there was strength within that body. Extraordinary strength and durability. Yet, there was no sign of anything divine. No godly ancestry. No blessings. Nothing. Wherever Peter's abilities came from it wasn't from a god or a goddess. Loki decided he would keep an eye on things but otherwise let them play out.


	49. Chapter 49

One of the forst things Tony did was introducing Loki to Lucia and Anné-Marie. Both women had looked on the verge of fainting upon meeting him. And no wonder. The news that some humans were actually the offspring of gods had rocked the world quite a bit. Even after the explaination that most were probably descendants rather than demi-gods. With those news had been the revelation that the majority of the Avengers were descendants of divinity. Specifically who they were related to. The women were the great granddaughters of the god of mischief. Of course they put two and two together.

"This is..." Lucia said and sank down on a sofa. She was a fairly tall woman. Feeling bad the engineer offered her some water. Anné-Marie, who was his height, studied the god.

"Are you really Lena Valencio?" she demanded. The Trickster smiled softly.

"I was, during that time", he admitted. "Edward knew from the very beginning as I had befriended him in my male form."

"How come you got married?"

"He was growing older and no one wanted to marry off their daughters to someone they viewed as a tinkerer. I didn't want to see his intelligence and his creativity die with him. So, I told him that I could offer him a solution."

"Marrying him yourself."

"Indeed."

"But you never told _them_ ", Lucia said. "Your children. Why?"

"At the time I sought to protect them. I didn't know at the time that their connection to me, knowing me as a god, would have made their latent powers awaken. I only wanted them to live normal lives. Free from the bonds of fate." Loki touched the taller woman's cheek. "You look a lot like Katherine. She was a headstrong girl. I would often have to weather her tantrums."

"Sounds like my own children", she chuckled weakly. "They might go a bit nuts if they learn they are related to the Avengers."

Anné-Marie snorted. "My kids and grandkids are already blowing up about the fact that they are related to Iron Man. And they are not stupid, they will realise the full implications soon enough." Eyeing the god again she asked. "Will this impact their lives somehow?"

"I don't know. It shouldn't. From what I can tell it was the circumstances that made the Avengers develop their abilities."

"That", Tony said. "But Fenris said that intention matters. Once you decided we were your kids and we decided that you are our parent our abilities started to really come to life. Even if we probably used them a bit before that."

"Abilities?" Now both women wore curious expressions. The engineer shrugged. 

"Mostly we can use use magic. Gran-Gran here is basically the god of magic so it makes sense."

"Gran-Gran?" Lucia perked up. "I like that! I also want to use that."

"It sounds kind of cute", Anné-Marie mused. "Though it makes me picture a greying woman knitting socks for all her grandkids and their kids."

"Well, I do know how to knit", the Trickster said nonchalantly. "If you want to call me Gran-Gran I won't mind. But I would advice that you and your families keep some distance still. I fear you otherwise would be caught up in fate."

"This is the second time you've mentioned fate", the shorter woman said. "Is it really that strong?"

"Strong is the wrong word... inevitable is a better word. Your choices tend to become... limited. Fate can change, certainly, but not through your own powers. All you can do is mitigate and find freedom in the small things. Already so many of my children and their lived ones have been caught by fate. To see even more..."

"Awe, Gran-Gran" Tony hugged the god. "You can't help but see people as your kids, can you? We will be fine. All of us. We are just happy to be able to stay in your life for millennia to come."

"I know, _bambino*_ and I love you all for it. But the truth remains that you have been claimed by faith. I simply hope that at least some of my descendants won't be affected."

Lucia and Anné-Marie exchanged a look, smiled and each claimed a hug from Loki. Who petted their heads in that special way of his. "May you and those of yours live long and peaceful lives", he said and a slight light enveloped them for a moment. Soon after they all said their goodbyes with promises of meeting again.

"What was that light thingy?" Tony asked curiously. 

"It was a blessing. While I would love to meet their families I think they will be happier living as they are."

"After seeing how awesome you are? Yeah right, big chance. Not."

"You don't need to flatter me, Tony."

"I'm not", the engineer hugged him again. "We all love you for a reason. You are an amazing person Gran-Gran and you have been there for us. I would wipe my ass with Asgard for how they have treated you. Because they doesn't deserve you. No one does. But you deserve everything and more. That's why we refuse to let you go."

Strong arms pulled him closer. "Well", there was a soft tremble in the usually silky voice. "Isn't that something."

* * *

Life doesn't just go back to normal after so many big changes in the world. After the debacle with the Accords human rights groups were consulted for a different agreement. Enganced individuals were also part of the discussions this time. Which included, but was not limited to, the Avengers and the god of mischief. The result became the Enhanced Human Rights Act and the International Response Accord. By being two separate agreements the documents covered different situations while still protecting basic human rights. With some accommodations made for individuals with abilities. The new accords on the hand stipulated how any organisation or group of individuals should conduct themselves in case of a national or global incident that went above what the army would be capable of.

It included allowances for action without prior consultation but also for investigation afterwards to see if the response was appropriate. There was also a scale which could be used to rank the severity of an incident. Which in turn would effect the investigation. 

There was a lot more legal stuff that went over Steve's head but he got the gist of it. Which made him happy. Life at the Compound didn't change all that much. Not even after both Jormungand and Fenris choose to stick around. The wolf would often join the blond on his runs. Trying to bait the solider into a race. Having ridden on Fen's back, he knew better than to take it. Bucky would try occasionally. Speaking of whom. Somehow everyone had stopped calling the brunet Barnes and was instead using his nickname. It was sweet and very heartwarming. 

And their twin brothers were of course growing rapidly. Being absolutely adorable. At one point Loki had suddenly become very tense and had remained tense the whole day. As if poised for a fight. Then he relaxed and acted like nothing had happened. Until...

"We need to make a trip to New York", he announced.

"Okay..." Tony said in response. "Why?" Steve tilted his head, wondering as well.

"Something has happened in the Sanctum Santorium, I want to find out what."

"In the Sanctum what now?" Clint asked.

"The Sanctum Santorium. One of the key points for the Masters of the Mystic arts."

"Er... the who?" Bruce said, looking embarrassed. 

"To put it simply. The Masters of the Mystic arts are sorcerers here on Earth. And I think something significant has happened within their ranks."

* * *

"What do you think, brother?" Shuri showed T'Challa the finished piece. "Is this what you had in mind?"

Picking up the vibranium arm the newly crowned King weighed it in his hand. "It still a bit heavy", he noted. "Do you think it could be lighter?"

"And still have all the technology you asked for? I can try", she gave him a dubious look. In just a few days he planned to open Wakanda to the world. After Erik... after his cousin's unexpected appearance and subsequent death he wanted to do better. The god's, Loki's, words made more sense now as well. His father had likely lost the blessing of Bast when he abandoned that child in favour of keeping a secret. Allowed to keep his strength for the sake of Wakanda but no longer working on her behalf. 

T'Challa intended to do better. Remain deserving of her blessings. One step was this. A gift intended for a man who had married a god. And not any god. All over the world people had started to view Loki, and in extension his children, as the manifestation of true humanity and strength. Treating them not unfamiliar to gods.

And he had learned the hard way that intention matters and that indifference was never the way to move forward. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Black Panther happened of screen, or rather of page, in this story. The only changes would be Shuri saying "A white boy for me to fix" instead of "Another white boy for me to fix". And of course, the end credit scene with Bucky no longer happened. 
> 
> * child (Italian)


	50. Chapter 50

He wasn't sure what he had expected to find outside the doors of the Sanctum but the Avengers plus one god of mischief wasn't it. Granted, it wasn't all of the Avengers. Just enough of them. The god looked him over, clearly judging him. Well two could play that game. Stephen crossed his arms and stared at them coldly. 

"What do you want?"

"What happened to the Ancient One?" Loki countered, catching the former surgeon of guard. Rolling his eyes the deity pushed his was inside. "I have been on the planet many times throughout the centuries. It would have been odder if I didn't know her."

"She... is dead", Strange said reluctantly. 

"I see. And the attempt from Dormammu?"

"How..? Never mind. I took care of it."

"At least for now. Good to hear anyway. You of course know who we are."

"Hard to miss. I am Doctor Stephen Strange."

"Oh oh! I knew I recognised you. Didn't you used to be some kind of hotshot neurosurgeon?" Stark said excitedly.

"Didn't Sitwell mention a Stephen Strange all those years ago", Steve Rogers asked a red haired woman.

"I'm impressed you even remember that", she replied. "But I remember the news of him getting into an accident a year later. Damaging his hand beyond hope of repair."

"And so you found the Mystic Arts", the Trickster concluded. "I hope we can... co-exist. Peacefully."

"As long as you don't pose a threat to this world or this dimension I have no reason to come after you", Stephen said. Not missing the glares of warning from the Avengers. "You have found yourself quite the protectors it seems."

"Please do not talk about my children in that manner", Loki said calmly. "Isn't it natural for a family to care for one another, Strange?"

Oh, he had heard about the five humans supposedly being related to the god of mischief. And standing in the same space as them... he could tell that there were truth to it. But that wasn't all. There was something... odd about them. Unfortunately his skills was still not good enough to tell what it was.

"So", the Trickster said. "With the Sorcerer Supreme dead who now holds the title?"

"For now, no one but they are training me for the role."

"Hmm... if it is not too much, would you mind showing me your hands?"

"Showing my... alright..." he held out his hands. They were still boney. Visible scars and constantly shaking. Surprisingly gentle did the god touch his hands and fingers. Tracing lines and carefully bending a finger.

"I see. This is some quite bad damage I agree. Not unfixable though. My skills in healing should be up to the task. If you are willing, of course."

He was tempted. Oh, so tempted. Had it been only a short time before he would have jumped at it. Now...

"Thanks but", Stephen took back his hands, "not yet. These are a reminder of what I have both lost and gained. One day perhaps but it is still to soon for me."

"..." the god studied him quietly before nodding. "I understand. Just a small piece of advice, place some very strong wards on that necklace of yours. I know exactly what it is."

"Is that all?" the sorcerer couldn't quite keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"Well, there is one thing. Are you aware that you carry a blessing from Isis? The Egyptian goddess of magic?"

"Very funny."

"You will find that I'm quite serious. It is not as rare as you might think, Egyptian gods going around blessing people. But they tend to be good at seeing hiding talents within people. You magic is your own of course, but don't be surprised if some of your inate ability is due to that blessing."

Stephen stared at him. Surely he was joking. If he was, his pokerface was amazing. Though, this _was_ the Trickster god. So perhaps that was a given. Still. He let them look around for a bit. Trying to figure out why the Avengers gave him such an odd feeling. It wasn't a bad feeling. Just weird. Strange.

As they filed out he finally realised what it was he felt. While he had called them humans the five of them was not quite so human anymore.

* * *

Outside the weird house Tony looked up at Avengers Tower. No one lived there anymore. There was some company related stuff still going on but all things Avengers was moved upstate. All that was left was equipment. A lot of it, sure. But not enough to warrant a whole tower.

"What are you thinking?" Bruce asked as they walked towards Central Park. Bucky had suggested he could take the twins to a playground instead of seeing the wizard. And since it was a sunny day Loki had agreed. They intended to join them for lunch.

"Just... I know I built the Tower but it is mostly empty right now. So I'm actually thinking about whatever or not I should sell it."

"Oh..." the scientist pondered for a bit. "That's your decision to make. We may have a lot of memories from there but that doesn't mean we need a whole building for it. And you own it."

"I know..." it was in that Tower they had all become a family. Which was sentimental beyond measures but, well, maybe he was sentimental sometimes.

"What is the matter?" Steve asked, having noticed his mood.

"Tony is thinking of selling Avengers Tower."

"Oh... well, it is your property. All we ever did, and do, is imposing on your generosity."

"We are family", Tony groused. "And before that we were friends. It was the least I could do. And still do."

"Well... if you are feeling conflicted about it, what about we head over after lunch. Have a look around. That way we can tell for sure. Right?"

The engineer realised that his brother was right. They were already in New York. It couldn't hurt to take a look around the Tower. Maybe he would know what to do afterwards. 

* * *

Loki didn't know why his son suddenly felt a need to visit the Tower but he could tell it wasn't quite what Tony had hoped it would be. Most of the furniture had been removed or moved. Cabinets, wardrobes and drawers were all empty. Most of the rooms served as storage for equipment that had not been taken upstate yet. The walls were bare. Even the labs were mostly empty. Only the workshop was looking messy but everything was covered in dust. Driving home how long since anyone had been there.

Collapsing in a chair the engineer coughed at the flying dust.

"Well, this is depressing", he sighed. The others had gone off to look through their old floors. Probably intending to see if they would find things that they might have forgotten years prior.

"What was behind this sudden visit?" the god asked.

"Honestly, I'm thinking about selling the place. But we made a lot of memories here and... I don't know... I didn't realise how truly empty it has become."

"I know a lot about memories", the Trickster said and used his magic to clear away the dust. "There are places I avoid to visit because they bring painful memories. But whenever I do I also remember all the good times. Because the important memories are not about the places. It is about the people. Being back in Austria... it was odd. So much remained the same whole so many other things had changed. It got me thinking about the people I have loved and who loved me in turn."

"You still have those", Tony said. "With us."

"Indeed, _bambino*_ ", Loki smiled. "And the most important thing isn't where I make memories. The important thing is who I make them with. If you want to sell the Tower none of us is going to tell you not to. But if you want to keep it, it is up to you."

"Thank you, Gran-Gran. You are the best", the engineer had relaxed. "You are right. We made a lot of memories here but it wasn't because we were here. It was because we were together. All of us as a family."

The god felt his heart swell with pride. Then a thought came to him.

"What happened to the Spider-Child? Peter, was it?"

"Uh... yeah, about that..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Italian)


	51. Chapter 51

"Let me see if I've got everything", Loki said and leaned against a wall. Tony was looking rather sheepish and scratched his cheek awkwardly. "You let the Spider-Child keep the suit you made for him after Germany. Knowing that he is a fifteen year old boy. This highly technological suit is equipped with something you call the Training Wheels Protocol. It has been a few months and you haven't talked to him directly since. Leaving him to Happy instead."

"Yes?" The sheepish look actually got even more sheepish. For a moment the god considered leaving his son to deal with it himself, learning from the experience but in the end he decided to intervene. For the sake of the boy if nothing else.

" _Bambino*..._ would you consider me experienced with dealing with children and teenagers?"

"Er... is that a trick question? Gran-Gran... you've literally raised several children _and_ you are handling us. You could one up Supernanny."

"Don't compare me to that woman. Her version of parenting is not much better than the situations she is there to solve", the Trickster scoffed. "Timeout... I have never needed to timeout my children and they were more than capable of getting in trouble. You should have seen Fenris as a puppy! Or your grandfather for that matter. Sometimes I felt like he actually made my hair grey."

Tony snickered. Probably imagining it. "Alright, yeah, bad comparison. But you are still quite the expert on handling kids I'd say."

"So you would trust my advice regarding this Spider-Child?"

"I mean... of course. Why...?"

Sighing Loki pealed away from the wall and went over to the engineer and started to pet his hair. "You brought him into Avengers business and now you are sidelining him. He doesn't hear anything from you and doesn't get any recognition from the things he do. Does Happy even call him back? Pick up the phone? Or does it all go to voice-mail?"

"That..."

"He is a teenager, Tony. And he looks up to you. But he will also have moments when he is reckless, over his head. The best thing you can do for him is being honest. And for the live of the Norns, remove the tracker. Or at least only make the tracker activate if the suit detect a risk for physical harm."

"But... what if he gets hurt? That would be on me. I got him into this."

"No, you didn't. You have given him a tool to help him along, yes. But he was already doing this. And now you have the opportunity to be a mentor. To be a mentor you have to actually do the mentoring. That means interacting, listening, teaching."

"I hadn't thought about that... it kind of sound like your parenting though."

Still petting the brown curls the god smiled softly. "The difference between being a parent and being a mentor isn't always that different. You said he lived with only his aunt, right?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you might have to accept that he will likely start to view you as a father figure. As I said, he looks up to you. The more you distance yourself from him..."

"The more he will try to get my attention... crap. I'm turning into Dad. But Gran-Gran, there is an A.I. in that suit. If I remove the Training Wheels Protocol it will activate."

"Tony, dear. He is a teenager. One way or another he _will_ find a way to remove that protocol if he finds out about it."

"...you got a point. I just don't want him to rely on the suit..."

"So invite him to the Compound. Make him take part in the training a few times a month. A teenager will by their very nature seek their independence. As adults we can't do anything but try to guide them through a combination of trust and consequences."

"So what should I do?"

"Start with being the actual person he reports to. Let him know that you see his progress. Talk to him. And most importantly, _listen_."

"Okay. Yeah! I can do that. Of course. Er... can... can I ask you for advice sometimes?"

"Oh, _bambino._ You can always come to me. For anything."

Tony slumped against him. His head was probably spinning. Personally Loki was looking forward to getting to know this Peter Parker better.

* * *

If Peter was honest with himself it was a huge relief that Ned knew. Talking to a voice-mail felt no different than talking to himself. Since aunt May still didn't know he was Spider-Man he had no one to talk to. Now that his best friend knew he might be able to vent a little bit. Even if the questions felt a bit... intrusive. No Ned, he couldn't lay eggs!

Tapping his pen in social studies he barely listened as the teacher rambled about the Enhanced Human Rights Act and the International Response Accord. He had been in the thick of it after all. All he wanted to get back out in the streets as his alter ego. Then maybe Mr. Stark would bother talking to him at least. What the heck did the billionaire mean? Don't do what he would do but don't do what he wouldn't do either? Yeah that made no sense whatsoever. 

At lunch he couldn't help but watch Liz as she prepared for the Homecoming dance. It wasn't so far off now. He wasn't sure if found Michelle's comment about friends sad or disturbing. 

"Alright", the gym teacher said. "Quiet down. We are going to do the Captain America Fitness Challenge but first we are going to watch this video. Which I'm obliged to do by the state..."

"Do you know him as well", Ned whispered as Captain America on the screen spoke. Peter hesitated but couldn't hide his excitement as he leaned in closer.

"He gave me his autograph. And let me throw his shield!"

"Awesome!" his friend squealed. They were then divided into pairs and started doing situps. As he curled he heard Liz and her friends talking. Apparently they were playing a game of Fuck, Marry, Kill Avengers style.

"F Loki", one of the girls said, "marry Iron Man and kill Hulk. What about you Liz?"

"I don't know. What about Spider-Man? He is pretty cool", Liz said.

And of course Ned couldn't keep his mouth shut.

* * *

Shivering from his impromptu bath Peter stared wide-eyed at the Iron Man suit. Only minuted before it had saved him from death by drowning. Which would have sucked big time.

"How did you even know where I was?" he asked through shattered teeth. "I can't believe you are really here..."

"Uh... yeah. About that", the suit opened and mr. Stark stepped out and sat down beside him. "Here."

The suit started to heat and blew air through it. Warming him and drying him at the same time. "You put a heater in my suit..."

"Among other things. Look kid... I... I should have... I shouldn't have left you hanging like I did. Or shoved you off to Happy. That wasn't cool of me."

"Oh... um... that's... that's okay. You are busy after all. Actually... can you really be here?"

"Gran-Gran spent the last few days teaching me to teleport just so I would able to get to your location quickly", the billionaire said dryly. "He let me know I wasn't handling you right."

"Handling me?!"

"Okay, wrong word. What about, I haven't treated you as I should have." Peter blinked and gaped. Was Mr. Stark apologising to him. He wasn't prepared for that. But the man wasn't finished. "I dragged you into this world of superheroes and supervillains. That's on me. I heard that you have quit band, are quitting the Decathlon team and that your grades are slipping. And I get it. You have these big dreams of joining the Avengers so everything else feels unnecessary in comparison."

"...you don't think so?"

"I would say that you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket, kid. You need things you can fall back on. Things that can make you feel normal."

"Is this where you tell me to stay out of it? Of that flying guy?"

"Actually, no. I probably would've before Gran-Gran showed me the light. Instead I will tell you this, don't do anything reckless. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I will do some research on my end and I will let you know if anything comes up."

"Oh, alright. Yeah. That's cool. That's fine. I can do that."

"Good. One more thing. FRIDAY, disable the Training Wheels Protocol in Peter's suit."

"Wait what?"

"You will find out", the engineer grinned and then got serious. "The suit is a tool. Even without it, you can do what you need to do. It isn't the suit that makes you special. Alright?"

"I... Yes!" Peter startled a bit as the older man stood and carefully walked over to his own suit. "Um... Mr. Stark?"

"Yes?"

"Who's Gran-Gran?"

The billionaire grinned widely and backed into the waiting armour. "The most awesome person in the universe, Loki."

Watching Iron Man fly off the teenage boy tried to wrap his head around what just had happened. But even so he found himself smiling. Suddenly it didn't feel quite as alone. It wasn't just him and Ned. And that was great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Italian) 
> 
> Just assume that the scenes I didn't include played out the same as in the movie 😉


	52. Chapter 52

Sitting on the bus towards Washington DC Peter was having so much fun with the decathlon team that he wished he was really there to compete. How long had it been since he did something for fun? Alas. Duty before fun. His phone beeped and he pulled it out, seeing he had received a text.

_**Hi kid. Happy is having a small freak out over here because you are leaving Queens. What's up?** _

_**T.S.** _

The teen snorted as he pictured Happy Hogan freaking out. Then he frowned. How the heck did either if them know he was leaving New York? 

_**I'm heading to DC with the decathlon team. Did you put a tracker on me?!**_ 😠

A few moments and then...

 _ **It is for your safety. But I'm in the midst of some major updates for your suit and its programming. I will be sending them in about ten minutes. DC huh. Glad to see you are doing something fun**_ 😊

He could keep quiet about it. That's what he had intended. But this wasn't the same as before. Mr. Stark was actually talking to him directly. 

_**I might be tracking a lead about those weapon selling thugs from the other night...** _

Hitting send he waited. And waited. After a few minutes he started to get nervous. Then finally. 

_**Peter...**_ 🤦 **Alright. Be careful. And don't hesitate to contact me if anything, ANYTHING, happens. Okay? Just... be careful** 🦸‍♂️ _**And good luck in the competition!**_ 🤟🤴

Smiling to himself Peter sent one last message. 

_**I will. Thanks!**_ 🕷 🧍

Putting his phone away he felt way more confident than before.

* * *

Karen, as he had named the suit lady, had introduced herself all of a sudden the same evening. Apparently she was supposed to teach him some of the things the suit could do. Though initially she had been intended to only activate once he had already learned. Good thing that was no longer the case!

And he was soooo bored. How could he get himself locked in a storage unit. A ridiculously secure one. Yet with no one inside but him. Whivh begged the question, why was the lights on? Had no one heard of climate change? 

"Karen, is there really no way out of here?"

" _Someone might come in the morning_ ", the A.I. said. " _If you want I could contact Iron Man._ "

"You can do that? Yes, please!" While he waited he practiced making more webs. 

" _He is on his way but wanted me to warn you that he will take a few hours. Apparently he exhausted his magic earlier today._ "

"Ugh..." sighing Peter found a corner where he curled up. He might as well find a place for a couple of hours of sleep. Casually he had picked up one of those battery thingis and played with it a bit before slipping off into sleep.

"Hey kid, time to wake up", someone was gently shaking him awake. The teen grumbled a bit before he remembered where he was.

"What time is it?" he exclaimed and sat up. Squatting in front of him were none other than Tony Stark. The man had an amused smile on his face.

"You will be in time for the decathlon, I made certain that there will be a taxi waiting for you. Prepaid. How did you even end up here?" Listening quietly the billionaire let him explain. A frown appearing on his brow. "That is concerning... but not something for you to worry about right now. You have a competition to win!"

"Oh! Right! Thank you, mr. Stark!"

* * *

Shaking his head ruefully Tony watched the kid run out of the facility and to the waiting car. He would probably appreciate the waiting breakfast too. The driver had been told to pickup som McDonald's on the way. Everyone knew teenagers were always hungry. As he moved his foot collided with something. It clearly came from one of the containers. And wasn't that a dozy. Someone, or rather someones, were stealing bits and pieces of technology and then making weapons of them. Right under his nose for who knows how long.

Picking it up he was concerned with how hot it was becoming. Immediately he summoned a gauntlet to keep his fingers safe.

"FRIDAY, run a diagnostic on this thing." While he waited he started to open containers, one after another. Several was showing signs of having been tampered with. New York, Chitauri. DC, Hydra and Shield. Sokovia, Ultron. And some from those smaller things in-between. 

" _Diagnostic complete_ ", FRIDAY said in his ear.

"Great. Lay it on me."

" _The data suggest it is a Chitauri energy core. When becoming unstable it is likely to explode._ "

Yikes! They would have to secure any of the...se... wait... didn't Peter say that his friend was currently keeping one safe? That he had picked it up and brought it with him. Then, before he went out last night, he has asked the same friend to keep it safe.

Two kids were handling an alien bomb! And he had no idea where the competition were going to be held.

"FRIDAY, I need you to find all motels, hotels and so on that have hosted high schoolers the last twenty-four hours and all the big competitions held today!"

* * *

He had made it. The chaperones wasn't even worried because Mr.Stark had called them. Telling them something came up with the internship that needed to be sorted out. Which wasn't a complete lie. Even better was the fact that he had had breakfast in the taxi. A big one.

Peter high-fived Ned and promised to tell him everything later. For now they had a competition to win. Smashing that bell made him realise why the billionaire had insisted that he needed something outside of being Spider-Man. It was fun. Relaxing even. Compared to fighting crime. He had been so focused on becoming an Avenger that he had forgotten to be a kid.

"Which year was the height of the Swedish Empire?" the referee asked.

_Pling!_

"1658!" the teen almost shouted.

"Correct. Next question. What year began the Meiji restoration and in which country?"

_Pling!_

"1868 Japan!"

"Correct. Midtown High is in the lead with three points."

The referee asked a few more questions that the other team managed to answer. Then finally the last question.

"What is the name of the person who single-handedly convinced the world leaders to drop the Sokovia Accords?"

_Pling!_

It was the other team. "Tony Stark!" One of them said.

"That is incorrect, Midtown High?" Peter smashed the bell.

"The god of mischief, Loki Silver formerly known as Loki Odinson!"

"That is correct. Midtown High wins the nationals in the Academic Decathlon."

Shouts and cries of joy came from the team. Several were dunking his back. And Liz. Liz was smiling widely at him. Just as they were about to pack into the bus his phone rang.

"Sorry, it is mr. Stark", he told Ned. Moving a bit further away from his team mates his answered. "Mr. Stark?"

" _Where are you kid?_ "

"We are supposed to go to the Washington Monument but..."

" _Ah crap... listen kid. That battery of yours? That's a bomb! It will activate if it becomes unstable. I need you to grab it and come find me, alright?_ "

A bomb! Spinning on his heels he felt a chill as he watched the bus roll away. Without him. And Ned still had the bomb in his backpack!

"I gotta go..."


	53. Chapter 53

He had arrived in the nick of time to prevent a disaster but it didn't make him feel good. Because, well, it was because if him wasn't it? From picking up the battery slash bomb to asking Ned to take care of it. Making him fairly miserable on the way home. In fact, he was so caught up that he initially didn't notice mr. Stark standing outside the apartment building. Walking right pass him.

"That's a welcome, I guess", the billionaire said. Making Peter stop abruptly and spin around.

"Mr. Stark! That's... I..."

"Relax, kid. I'm not going to bite your head off. Come on, let's go grab something to eat."

The teen had kind of expected his mentor to take him to some fancy restaurant but instead they went to a nearby diner. They took a booth in a corner and Tony picked up the menu.

"You can order whatever you want and how much you want. Just make certain you can eat it all", he said and then blinked. "Or we can just ask for a doggy bag."

Snorting the boy looked through the menu and found a few things he would like. Once the waitress had taken their order mr. Stark got serious. 

"Right now you are probably feeling guilty. You feel like it is your fault. What happened at the Washington Monument."

"But... it was..."

"It wasn't. You didn't want alien tech to just lie around for no reason. Which was a good thing. How was you supposed to know that it was dangerous? I didn't until FRIDAY told me. Once you knew, you took action", the older man paused as their order arrived. "Everyone makes mistakes, Pete. Some worse than others. And we always has to live with that."

Peter slurped his chocolate milkshake. It was tasty. He heard the words but they felt they didn't apply to him. Again lost in his thoughts it took mr. Stark throwing the straw wrapper to shake him out of it.

"Sorry..." he mumbled.

"Peter, would you look at me?" Reluctantly he did so. "You did the best you could with the information that you had. Alright?"

"So why does it still feel like it is my fault?"

"Because that's how people works. I know on an intellectual level that I wasn't responsible for creating Ultron. But I still feel like I was. I still feel responsible for the weapons I created and how they killed people. It is something one of the most difficult things you could ever hope to accomplish. Forgiving yourself."

That made him feel a bit better. If adults also felt this way he wasn't such a failure after all. They spent the rest of the time eating discussing the Academic Decathlon. Tony laughed loudly when he learned that the winning question had been about Loki.

"You should come up north and visit once all of this blows over", the man said and slapped their back as they made their way back. "But you should know one thing."

"What?"

"I have sold the Tower. We are in the midst of a pretty big move. I think the last shipment will go the same night as your school's homecoming dance. It is the Avengers stuff so we will need to be careful."

"Oh..."

"Hey, don't look like that. You won't officially join the Avengers until you are at least of age but we still want you to train and practise with the team. And remember, if you hear anything more about these guys, or need any help, don't hesitate to call me. Alright? I know you can handle yourself but don't take on more than you can chew. I've already alerted the FBI and they are on the look-out too."

"I promise. And... could Ned sometimes tag along to the Compound?"

An arm was placed around his shoulder in a sort of half hug. "Sure, I don't see any reason why not."

* * *

He was just about to sneak on board the ferry when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Jumping he turned only to come face to face with Tony and... Cap!

"Hey Queens", the soldier said. Instead of his usual uniform he was dressed in brown jacket on top of a white shirt and some blue jeans.

"Um... hi... what are you...?"

"Doing here?" said the billionaire with an amused expression. He wasn't wearing his Iron Man suit and was wearing a tracker suit. "Well, the information you found seemed reliable enough so I contacted the FBI..."

"Then Dad figured that you would probably be here and suggested that we two go as well", Captain America explained. "The plan is to go on-board and keep an eye on things in case they get out of hand. Do you have any other clothes with you?"

Peter shook his head.

"With more time I could fix that", Tony said. "But for now just climb up on the hull. But don't do anything until the FBI have given it a go. Alright?"

"But don't be afraid to step in if you have to either", Cap said.

"Um... yessir! I mean..."

"Just call me Steve, kid", the blond patted his shoulder and nodded to the ferry. "Let's go."

The ferry was well out on the water when Peter spotted the deal. Creeping closer he watched them. He saw one man that had to be the leader. Carefully he waited and then...

"Freeze, FBI!" five federal agents jumped up and aimed guns at the group. To the teens horror one of the thugs pulled out an energy gun and shot it. He had just time to snatch the agent out of the way before he was killed.

"Things are going bad! Things are going bad!" he whimpered before starting web bad guys. Then one of them aimed a bigger energy gun at him and he tried to yank it out of the way with a well aimed web. Only, it apparently didn't need to you hold the trigger. Before he could react it had gone off, slicing the ferry in half. And the Vulture guy was getting away.

He nearly was thrown off the sinking ferry. A strong hand held his arm. Steve yanked him back to one side.

"Hold on, Tony got this", he said. 

"This is my fault", the teen felt like crying. Everything he did ended up as a disaster. 

"Kid, you saved those agents' lives. That's pretty well done already." But Peter didn't feel convinced. 

* * *

Tony was concerned. He had saved the ferry and thanks to Peter's quick thinking no one had gotten hurt. Badly. But the teen was silently crying with the occasional sob. Unfortunately the engineer wasn't very good at this. His number one solution would have been to ask, or beg, Gran-Gran to sooth the boy. However, Loki was busy with the twins and it wasn't certain that Pete would take to him right away. Steve had already tried to no avail. 

Sighing Tony approached the youth. 

"Hey. You okay?" To his utter surprise the teen threw his arms around his middle and startled bawling. 

"It was my fault! All of it is my fault! From uncle Ben to this! I don't... I can't..."

The engineer had no idea who uncle Ben was or what had happened to him. Though his aunt was maybe not always single. All he knew was that the poor kid was falling apart. Dealing with things beyond what he could handle. At least mentally. Awkwardly he patted Peter's back.

"Pete... listen... why don't you take a bit of a break?" The teen looked up on him. "Just... you have been at it for none stop for a while now and now this case. You are running yourself ragged and it won't do you any good. So what about this? I hold onto the suit for a couple of weeks and you go back to being just a teenager. Just for a couple of weeks."

"Why?" It was a whimper. "Have I done anything wrong?"

"That's not it, kid. I'm just worried for you. You can still text me or call me if you need me or just want to talk. You are still invited to the Compound. All I'm saying is, give yourself a break. You have a whole life to be Spider-Man. But you are only a teenager once. Alright?"

After a moment Peter nodded. Because he didn't have any other clothes they got him a nice outfit before driving him home. Steve gave him an autograph to give to his friend, Ned. Which had the benefit of making the teen smile a little. Tony just hoped, fervently, that he was doing the right thing.


	54. Chapter 54

With his phone in a precarious grip between his index and long fingers Tony carefully fished it out of the space it had occupied for the last half hour or so. He had dropped it and it had gone flying. Getting stuck between two safety walls. It had taken him until now to reach it, even with his magic. What had complicated it was that the space between the safety walls also opened up in the floor. Of course that had been the moment when the phone started to ring incessantly. Repeatedly. On top of that FRIDAY had been down for maintenance. The last bit of code stored on the phone. He could have asked Loki for help but that had felt... embarrassing...

Finally getting it out he first entered the last piece of code. Beginning the reboot of FRIDAY's systems. Then he looked at who had called him. Frowning he saw that Peter had tried to reach him at least fifteen times. It had been two weeks since the incident with the ferry. From checking in with May Parker he had thought that everything was going well. That the kid was getting that much needed break. The teen had replied to the few texts the engineer had sent but otherwise they had not really talked. So why would Peter call now?

There was one voice-mail. 

_"Come on, come on. Please answer, Tony. Please, please answer. Oh, this is bad. This bad... the Vulture... he is going to rob the plane! Please, Tony. Pick up... ... guess I could call Happy..."_

A chill went down Tony's spine. Fumbling in his haste he called Happy.

" _Hi, boss_ ", the man said as he answered the call.

"Have Peter called you?"

" _I think he called like twenty minutes ago?_ "

"Did he tell you where he was heading?"

" _Well, we didn't actually talk..._ "

Closing his eyes the engineer tried not to swear a tirade. He knew his head of security wasn't particularly fond of the boy but...

"Please don't tell me that you turned away his call. Please tell me that you didn't do that..."

" _..._ "

"We will talk about this later. At length. Has the plane left yet?"

" _It left just five minutes ago_."

Crap.

"FRIDAY. Can you try to find out where Peter might have went?"

" _On it, boss_ ", the A.I. said. Tony just hoped he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

It was over. Finally it was over. Away from the wreckage and the commotion on the beach Peter slumped against a wall. He felt like he could breathe again. The first time since coming face-to-face with Liz's dad and realising he was the Vulture. And that his date had no idea what her father was actually doing. On top of all that he had missed the dance. 

He was in pain. His nosebleed had at least stopped bleeding. Head still aching and clothes in tatters. Man he didn't want to move for the next century. 

The sound of repulsors made him jump and look up. Landing carefully were the Iron Man suit. Stepping out if the same were Tony.

"Hey kid. Ouch. Look at you", the engineer bent down to him.

"I'm... I'm sorry I went after him on my own..." the teen mumbled. 

"Shh... I know you tried and I'm sorry I couldn't pick up. I dropped my phone and couldn't reach it. As for Happy... he is not a bad guy, I promise. Just... not used to teenagers."

"Are you?"

"Heh, guess not. But I have a few more people around who can give me a reality check. Though Wanda isn't that much older than you, now that I think about it."

Peter was pulled to his feet and found he could use his legs after all. In the distance he could se the red and blue light from emergency vehicles. Slumping against his mentor he tried to bite back a sob.

"I was so scared", he whimpered. "I didn't know what to do..."

"It is okay, Pete. We can more about it later. For now, let's get you away from here. Okay?"

Nodding numbly the teen let himself be lead away. A comforting arm around his shoulders and a kind voice praising him for a job well done.

* * *

A good week after Toomes' arrest Peter and Ned was sitting in a car on their way to the Avengers Compound. The teens were frankly quite excited. Driving them were Happy Hogan who had been very apologetic and regretful for his neglectful actions. With them they had a bag with some clothes for a weekend stay. It would be good, changing scenery. Liz had had to move and Michelle... MJ had taken over the role as captain for the Decathlon team.

As the car rolled inside the Compound Peter gaped. It was much larger than he had expected. Waiting for them were Tony. The engineer smiled at them and shook Ned's hand. Which made him look slightly faint.

"Don't drop yet, kiddo", the billionaire said. "You haven't seen anything yet. Come on." He showed them some of the facilities before heading to the living quarters. There were a large group of people who were obviously expecting them. Peter had of course met most of them before but there was also some new faces. Like two toddlers held in the arms of a tall man that had...

"Is that a metal arm?!" the teen squealed. "That's sooo cool."

"Jeebers, Tony", the man said. "How young is this kid? Twelve?"

"Hey! I'm fifteen!"

Tony chuckled. "Peter, meet Bucky Barnes-Silver. Steve's best friend and the husband of Loki."

"Who are the babies?" Ned asked curiously. 

"Those would be my youngest children", a smooth voice said and both teens jumped as a tall man stepped out from behind them. A soft smile on his face. "Welcome, Spider-Child. It has been a while."

"Um... it is Spider- _Man_..."

"Hmm, not yet I think. Good to see you hale anyway." The one speaking was of course Loki himself. Peter had met him before but Ned had not. Hiding a smile the spiderling watched as his friend had a small geek out as meeting the god. Which continued as he was introduced to more and more heroes.

A cool hand was placed on the teen's shoulder and he jumped again. It was the Trickster. Who was somehow able to escape his enhanced senses. The god quite deftly steered him out of the room and to a lonely corridor. Then Loki began to... pet his hair...

"Tony told me you had had quite the harrowing experience", he said. "You did well but it had to be rough on you."

"I... I'm fine", Peter felt his cheek flush and wasn't sure what to make of the petting. It made him feel like a hamster. Which wasn't the worst thing certainly. Just... odd. 

"Hmm... I've raised over a dozen children over the last millennia. Including one snake and one puppy. If there is one thing I can see through it is a 'I'm fine'."

Something was growing thick in his throat. Swallowing the teen felt the lump growing thicker and thicker. As the god gently pulled him into his arms the youth felt himself start to cry. Loud sobs breaking from his lips. Hiding his face against Loki's chest he wailed.

"I was so scared!" he almost screamed. "I couldn't get up! It was so scary! I was so scared!"

"Of course you were", the Trickster said soothingly. "And that's okay. Because you still stood up again. You were so brave. Of course you were scared. There there. Cry all you want Peter. It doesn't make you any weaker or any less."

And cry he did. It felt like forever but finally he managed to calm down. Even then the strong arms around him didn't let up. Nor was he pushed away. Sniffing Peter relaxed completely against the god. Feeling safe for the first time in a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, again. Anything I didn't include happened more or less as in the movie. One gripe I have with Homecoming is that so much of the problems could have been avoided if anyone had bothered to talk to Peter. Letting him knows what is going on. Like telling him that FBI was already on case. But I guess there would be less of a movie if people were that logical 😆


	55. Chapter 55

Tony and Pepper got married about six months after the incident with the Vulture. They had decided that they would walk down the aisle together. To make it abundantly clear that they viewed each other as equals. Soon after the engineer started to look for more of a family home to live in. The problem was finding one that was big enough. 

"You are going to insist that all of them should be able to live with us, aren't you?" his wife said in resignation.

"At the very least should be able to come to visit", he said. "And not having to squeeze. Of course, Gran-Gran and Bucky should have a proper home of their own but..."

"Ahah..." the strawberry blonde woman shook her head. "You are overcomplicating this. Just buy a large chunk of land somewhere and build homes for them. All of them. Like our own very small, very intimate little village."

Pausing Tony stared at her. Then he started grinning. Running over he lifted her into the air and spun her around. When he put her back down he peppered her with kisses.

"You are amazing! The best! What would I do without you?"

"Barely be able to tie your shoes."

They laughed together. It wasn't a bad idea. If it was close enough to city they could live quite comfortably. Though it might get a little lonely to _only_ have the Avengers around. 

Hmm... what if they wasn't? What if he could solve a huge problem at the same time. That would be pretty awesome.

* * *

T'Challa was watching him expectantly. Turning the limb Bucky marvelled at it. Lighter than his old one and it had tactile senses. Allowing him actually interact with his surroundings. There were no pain receptors but if he touched fabric, he could feel the texture. 

"This is... amazing", he said. "I can't begin to express my gratitude for this. You didn't have to... is there anything you would want in exchange?"

Before the king could speak up another voice piped up. "I could think of a few things. Letting me play with these cuties for one thing", the one who had spoken was a teenage girl. She was looking at Ethan and Jason who had played under the watchful eyes of Loki. The god gave her an amused look.

"This is Shuri, my sister. She is the one who made the arm." Wakanda's King introduced. "Don't let her youth deceive you, she is a most brilliant scientist. She is currently the one in charge of Wakandan technology development."

"Remarkable indeed", the Trickster said in amusement. "Well met, princess."

"Hallo! Are these yours?"

Both boys was now hiding behind their mother's legs, eyeing this stranger with vary curiosity. Sometimes Bucky couldn't grasp just how big they had become. But they would turn four at their next birthday. 

"Mine and James' yes", Loki said. "You indicated that you might have something you want in exchange for the arm?"

"I want to meet Tony Stark! And all the Avengers", she said. Smiling widely. "And I definitely want to visit Disney World!"

The god chuckled. "That shouldn't be a problem. We can find a good opportunity and host you at the Compound for a couple of weeks. If that is agreeable to you, king T'Challa?"

"Trying to tell my sister what to do is nothing but foolish. Only mother have a moderate success", the man spoke with dry humour. "I'm willing to let Shuri spend a months with the Avengers. I think she could learn a lot. And have time to visit Disney World."

The girl squealed and hugged her brother. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You will not regret this, brother!"

"Somehow I already do", the king said but it was fondly. 

"Why do I feel like I have a moral obligation to introduce her to Peter", Loki murmured and Bucky couldn't help but burst out laughing. Even as everyone was looking at him, including his boys, he couldn't do anything beyond giving his husband a wet kiss.

* * *

Thanking the girl Steve sighed and waved down a taxi. He was trying to learn teleportation but wasn't any good at it. Sighing again the soldier told the driver to take him to the Compound. That had been his third date this month and while she had been a very lovely girl it just... had not felt right. It wasn't that he was in a rush to find a girlfriend but... well... he wanted a family. As in a wife and some children of his own. He did have a family. Starting with his dad and all around to his siblings. But it wasn't the same thing. What he wanted... was what Clint had and what Tony might gain.

"Are you okay, sir?" the driver asked. "Did she breakup with you?"

"No no, that was our first date. It is just... I've had a few of those lately."

"Ah. Yes, that happens to some of us. Do you work at the Avengers Compound?"

"You could certainly say that", the soldier suppressed a smile. It was amazing how people only saw the shield and the uniform.

"Is it true that a giant snake lives there now?"

"Well, he lives in the ocean but he likes to hang around. Resting just inside the wall."

"How big is it?"

"Jormungand can be any size he want but he prefer to be just big enough that he can wrapp around the Compound."

"You named the snake?!"

"He already had a name long before I met him. Jor is one of Loki's mythological children. His job is to protect Earth so he fits in well with the Avengers."

"That's quite something. Tell me, son. Are you looking for something specifically with the women you go on dates with?"

"Well, I do want to have kids one day but..."

"Have you ever thought about fostering? There are many kids who could use a good home. And if you work with the Avengers you are probably paid pretty well, right?"

Steve hummed something in reply. Fostering? Like caring for a child or a teen who couldn't live with their parents or who had become an orphan? The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. After all, family was what you made it out of.

He would have to talk to Tony and Dad once he got back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm celebrating my upcoming birthday this weekend (I turn 31 on Monday) so my usual daily dose of updates might not be in affect. 
> 
> On another note. WandaVision! Wow. I wish they had released all episodes at once but that's marketing I guess. Even so, I had this stupid, giddy smile as I watched the first two episodes.


	56. Chapter 56

He had been working quietly in the shadows ever since the incident with Sokovia. There had been many things he had not anticipated. Most of them boiled down to one specific person. 

"You came", Fury said calmly, crossing his arms. Loki leaned against a wall, unconcerned. 

"You are still my descendant, Nicholas. Of course I will see what you need of me", the god said. The former SHIELD director pointedly ignored the use of his first name.

"Do you have any intentions of leaving Earth anytime soon?"

"I don't have any intentions of leaving this realm at all. This is my home. More importantly, it is the home of my children."

"Good." This obviously both surprised and confused the Trickster who started with an almost shocked expression only to then frown. Fury shrugged. "I have dedicated my life to protect this planet from any and all threats. Yet I missed one right under my nose. In comparison you have gone out of your way to eliminate potential threats."

"I did invade though", Loki said dryly with a wry smile. "Nicholas... I know you want something. So far you have rejected our connection and I doubt that that have really changed. Even though it saddens me. Why don't you just tell me what it is you are after?"

"Are you in a hurry?"

"I have two rambunctious toddlers who were napping when I left. I definitely doesn't have the time to play around. You made it clear you didn't want anyone to know about this meeting."

Nodding the black man took out the pager. "I want you to try and reach the person on the other side of this. For what is likely to come she will be a powerful ally."

"Why not contact her yourself?"

"Because I have no way of talking to her directly. You have the means to work around that limitation."

"You could probably learn if you wanted."

"You said it yourself, I'm rejecting the connection. Maybe I could learn but I won't."

Loki took the pager, looking sad. "I don't know what happened, Nicholas, but I'm sorry that you have ended up like this."

"Like what?"

"Alone and endlessly suspicious. Bitter. If you ever change your mind, you can always come find me. Love is an infinite resource and mine will never run out."

The god disappeared, likely having teleported back to his Brady bunch. Fury pondered the changed in the man. Could the moniker "god of mischief" really be applied anymore? Because that wasn't quite the kind of person Loki presented as. Not any longer.

* * *

Before he had done anything he had talked about with his family about fostering. They had immediately supported him one hundred percent. From Tony setting up a bank account for expenses to Clint offering advice on how to deal with kids in that situation. His dad had hugged him and made him promise to ask for help when he needed it. Giving Steve the confidence to contact social services in order to meet with a social worker.

The woman in question was short and had something of a teardrop shape. Her hair was iron grey and she seemed like a no nonsense person. She stared at him from behind her glasses.

"Let me get this straight. You, mr. Rogers, wishes to Foster children?"

"Yes. I'm thinking teens who has been thrown out of their homes for one reason or another. Like for being LGBT. In the future maybe even doing some kind of wayfarer house for homeless teenagers."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. How would you describe your financial situation? As far as I'm aware you don't have a job."

"My job is being an Avenger, miss. As for money, I'm receiving a stipendium from the military for my services during the war in addition to a generous pay from Stark Industries."

"Hmm... most would describe your...job...as dangerous and risky."

"It is true that we answers to threats that are beyond the capabilities of the usual armed forces and it is too early to say what other things we will be asked to handle. However, police officers and fire fighters risk their lives daily while still being allowed to foster."

"And why exactly do you want to foster?"

"I have always liked kids and if I can make a difference in just one kid's life it will be worth it. And I will have a solid support system with friends and family."

The social worker tapped her pen against the desk before opening her laptop. She tapped away on the keyboard for a few minutes. Then she looked at him.

"There are two teens currently in the system who has managed to get themselves thrown out of any other foster home assigned to them. Two boys. They are not related and has never met. One is sixteen and the other is fifteen. I could assign you as their foster parent for the foreseeable future. If it works out we can begin talking about a larger project. Well?"

Steve shook himself out of his stupor and then hurriedly agreed. He was pretty sure that the vetting process was usually way more rigorous. For whatever reason it was skipped this time he wasn't going to waste it.

A week later he waited outside the living quarters for the car that would drop off the teens. He was eternally grateful to Tony who had prepared two bedrooms suitable for a teenager, no argument. A black Ford rolled up and two kids stepped out. From the driver's seat came the social worker.

"Well, here they are", she said as the kids took things out from the car trunk. "The thin one is Brian and the fat one is Mitch."

Hiding a wince the soldier made certain to greet each of the teens with a smile. Brian glared and hugged his small backpack to his chest. It was tattered and his clothes wasn't in the best shape either. Mitch didn't say anything else either. But his withdrawn expression made Steve concerned. He wondered what kind of experiences they had behind them.

"It takes a while", the social worker assured him. "Maybe you can convince Brian to finally cut his hair. It has caused quite a lot of conflict in prior homes." Blinking the blond realised that the thin teen did indeed have long hair. A pale red ponytail. He was so used to Loki's hair that he hadn't even thought about it.

"If he likes it like that I don't see an issue with it", he assured her. By now he really wanted her gone. Because if the teens were vary of him they clearly hated her. Even Mitch who didn't show a lot of emotions was giving her a glare. Huffing the woman finally got back inside the car and drove away. "Shall we take a little tour? Do you want to start inside or outside?"

"Whatever", Brian spit. The other teen had gone back to staring at the ground. It was no doubt that the boy was very, very overweight. His black hair was choppy and he fidgeted constantly. Like he was scared. Inside it was. He took them around the Compound, letting them see the labs, the workshops and the research centre. Both showed some awe at seeing the training area. Which was quite impressive. A huge pool for swimming and all sorts of equipment. It helped that Clint had been there, practicing his archery.

The tour outside was basically letting them meet Jormungand and Fenris. At least that caused some reactions. Though, seeing a gigantic snake and a huge wolf would make anyone a bit shaky. The first time at least. Last he showed the living area. Pointing out the rooms of those who lived there and letting them know about communal areas. At his request everyone had found somewhere else to be until dinner. 

"Alright, I think that's everything. There will be a few other things we need to hash out but we can do that later. Dinner will be in a few hours, feel free to just relax and settle in until then. Alright, boys?"

Mitch shrugged. Brian...

"Don't call me that", the boy sneered. 

"Brian?"

"That's not my name! That's not my fucking name! I hate all of you!" The teen stormed off and apparently found his room because he opened the door and slammed it shut behind him.

Scratching his head Steve was utterly confused. What had he said?


	57. Chapter 57

He started with showing Mitch to his room, trying to make certain that the teen was feeling comfortable. Not that he got much of a response from the kid but he figured it would take time. Then he went to look in on Brian. Knocking on the door he opened it and slipped inside. The boy was sitting on the bed, fuming visibly. He had to have noticed the door opening but didn't acknowledge Steve.

"Brian? Is everything alright?"

"Don't call me that!"

"But isn't that your..."

"It is not my name!" Flying to his feet the youth had angry tears in his eyes. "That's not my name! I'm not a boy!" The soldier blinked in surprise but the kid slapped a hand over their own mouth. Eyes suddenly wide with fear and horror. Carefully they sat down on the bed again. "I'm a girl..." it was a whisper. Soft. Scared.

Scratching his head the blond pondered what the right course of action was. Then he noticed that the pale, red hair looked kind of messy. Because he didn't want to leave he conjured a brush and a comb. Approaching the teen. He sat down behind her and gently began brushing out the tangles. She stiffened. Became tense. As if waiting for a blow. Keeping himself calm Steve carefully saw to her hair.

"What name do you prefer?" he asked. 

"Britney..." she murmured. Was that her pronouns? 

"Is it she and her or something else?"

"No... that's... that's it."

"Oh, good." Once all the tangles were gone he began braiding the hair. He would have to ask Natasha to teach him later, or maybe Wanda. For now he settled for making a French braid. Conjuring a band and a ribbon to finish it. A pale green ribbon to fit with the hair.

"There you go. We can get you some better clothes later. I promised I make dinner tonight. Anything you want to eat?"

"...lasagna..."

"Lasagna? That should do nicely for sure."

She was still eyeing him uncertainly as he closed the door behind him. Breathing out Steve hoped he had handled that correctly. He had to try and make them feel safe. Heading to the kitchen he was pleased to see that they had everything needed to make a lasagna. Starting to cook he told FRIDAY to tell everyone that they could return.

"What's the occasion?" Tony asked as he saw the soldier busy cooking. 

"One of the kids wanted it. Could you order some clothes for a teenaged girl later? Just to start with?"

"Er... sure. But wasn't they two boys?"

"It wasn't quite that simple. I don't want to say too much without them here."

"Probably a good decision." With that the engineer started to set the table. Using his magic. He loved showing off like that. Once the food was finished Steve went to fetch the teens. Mitch didn't say anything but came easily. Britney still wore the braid, she seemed uncertain how to behave. It was obvious she had anticipated and much more... unpleasant... reaction. 

Both teens tensed as they entered the dinning room. Probably because of all the people. At the same time they seemed kind of awed.

"Everyone", the soldier said and got the attention of his friends and family. "This is Mitch and this is Britney." The girl jerked as he placed a hand on her shoulder, calling her by her chosen name. Of course, no one reacted much to her masculine looks. They just waved and took their seats. Tony nodded with understanding and started to fiddle with his phone. 

"You can sit wherever you want", Loki told them as he made Ethan sit in his high chair. Much to the toddler's chagrin. Bucky was doing very much the same with Jason. "We don't have fixed seatings."

Hesitantly the teens took a seat each. There were five large lasagnas on the table. With so many people with such a big appetites mealtimes required plenty of food. Conversation started up as everyone talked about what they had been doing during the day or news they had heard.

"There has been some activity in Latveria again", Natasha said. "Some new ruler apparently."

"Anything we need to keep an eye on?" Bruce asked.

"Not yet but several agencies are trying to gather more information."

"...ive that Rhodey wrecked his suit for a third time this month? I'm tempted to revoke his access to the War Machine armour", Tony complained. "I know I can be reckless but he is taking it to another level!"

"No, see the new wings makes me faster than before", Sam said to Pietro who laughed.

"You are still much slower than me!"

Steve watched as both teens relaxed as the chatter washed over them. In time he hoped they would feel comfortable enough that they would be willing to participate. For now, this was enough. 

* * *

You couldn't have two teenagers living in your space and not interact with them. Even if they were technically someone else's responsibility. Tony opened the door to his office and stopped as Britney froze. She was holding a piece of blank paper in her hand and a pen. A guilty look on her face.

"That pen dried out years ago", the engineer said and sipped from his coffee. He never kept important documents in his office. But people expected him to have one so he did. "Take the red one over there instead."

The girl was now visibly confused. "You are not angry?"

"Why would I be?"

"I'm stealing from you."

"Stealing? By taking a piece of paper and borrowing a pen? I can buy a room full of both if I want." 

Britney fidgeted. She and her buddy seemed to be confused by their treatment. No one commented on her gender nor on Mitch weight. No one shouted at them or even used hard words. Certainly not Steve. The soldier was very attuned to their needs and tried to let them feel at ease. 

"But..."

Tony shook his head slightly. He recognised the attempt at provocation. The girl was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Their effortless acceptance of her identity out her on edge. So even when she did something innocent she was pushing.

"Alright. What did you intend to do with the paper?"

"...I wanted to draw..." she said defensively. 

"Oh? Well, you can certainly take a bunch of paper if you want but if you ask Steve he will more than happily lend you a sketchbook and some pencils."

"Why would Captain America have any of that?"

"Because he likes to draw? Seriously, Steve is a great artist. A couple of years ago he drew a group portrait of our family for my birthday and it was great", he picked up the folder he had come for. "If you need anymore clothes feel free to ask FRIDAY. Remember to close the door behind you."

Before he left he heard her murmur. "Captain America likes to draw?"

* * *

Because things had been calmer Clint had started to spend alternating weeks at the farm and at the Compound. With three kids he wanted to be around more. Occasionally he would bring his wife and children along to the facility. Something Lila and Cooper loved since they could see their favourite grandparent and uncles slash auntie. This week his family was still at the farm while the foster kids settled in. 

It was by chance he came across Mitch. The kid was an expert at disappearing despite his bulk. Maybe it shouldn't have been too surprising that the teen had found the entertainment centre. Tony had installed the biggest TV he could find and added every gaming console on the market. Alongside a huge collection of games in every genre available. For each console. Finding the big teenage boy in the middle of playing Call of Duty shouldn't have been that unexpected. 

The archer's sudden appearance caused the boy to lose concentration. Making him lose.

"Sorry about that", Clint said. "Mind if I join you in a game?" Mitch shook his head numbly. He never spoke. About anything. It wasn't that he couldn't, he just refused. Picking up a controller the stocky blond understood the feeling. He had been there himself after all.

"Hey, what about this? If I win I will ask Pops for a stew. If you win I convince Steve that we should pizza. Deal?"

Smiling uncertainly Mitch nodded. The archer didn't make it easy for the kid but he definitely let him win in the end. Because everyone needed to win sometimes. 

* * *

"Dad?" Steve said. Loki looked up from his current knitting project. "I was thinking that we might be able to help Britney but... that sort of thing is beyond my abilities..."

"Why don't we go talk to her together", the god suggested with a smile. "It is the duty of a grandparent to dote on their grandchildren."

The soldier chuckled and hugged the Trickster. Having all these people in his life. He was definitely blessed. And he hoped he could help those two teens feel comfortable with themselves and like they had finally found a home. A family. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is my birthday. I'm turning 31. It is both old and not so old. If you keep an eye on my subreddit I will soon post a link to a certain series of stories that are available and would help me immensely if any of you felt like acquiring. 
> 
> I'm not allowed to be more obvious due to the rules of Ao3 😅


	58. Chapter 58

It wasn't often they saw Loki's female form. They had assumed that it was because of Tony and his connection. Though according to Bucky it was a form the Trickster took in private from time to time. Steve had never bothered to ask for details. Even so, it didn't feel that strange to see the goddess. After all, the features were more or less the same. A bit softer, bigger curls in the hair that was also longer and of course a visible chest. He could figure out why his parent had decided to take this form now.

The soldier knocked on Britney's door and waited for permission before opening it. Wearing a big blouse and a pink skirt the girl was in the middle of brushing her hair. Having received feminine clothing had made her cry and she had clutched the items to her chest. Which made him sad because it was such a small thing to do. Steve suspected the teen had been thrown out of her other foster homes because they wouldn't respect her gender. And apparently the social worker had not really bothered either. He had fought hard to protect people's right to be themselves and he wasn't going back on that.

"Hi", he said. "We just wanted to talk to you for a bit. Is that okay?"

Immediately on edge Britney nodded. Then her eyes fell on Loki, causing her jaws to fall open. The goddess smiled knowingly. 

"I guess you didn't know I am a shapeshifter", she said and deftly plucked the brush from the girl's hand. "Let me. I have taken care of my daughters' hair plenty of times before."

"You... are you..."

"Loki? Yes. This is my female form."

"So... you are genderfluid?"

"I'm not much for labels. I'm Loki, that's good enough." Britney sat still as the goddess ran the brush through her hair. "Have you always known you were a girl?"

"...pretty much. My... my parents didn't like that... things got... bad..."

"Hmm. Ever thought of how you would want to look if you body was female?"

"Who wouldn't?"

"Why don't you describe it to me?"

Steve sat down on a chair and let his mom work her magic. Both figuratively and literally. 

* * *

She had barely spoken to any of the Avengers since her arrival. To suddenly being the focus of a god, who was currently a goddess, was quite unnerving. Captain America was sitting at her desk. Watching with a smile. That was also kind of weird. Why the heck was a superhero fostering two problem children? Britney sighed.

"I recognise that sigh anywhere", Loki said with obvious amusement. "I don't think someone can be a teenager and not do it."

"Whatever..." the teen grumbled.

"Really now?" the god...dess chuckled. "I need you to close your eyes, my dear."

"Why?"

"I have a surprise for you." Rolling her eyes the girl did as she was told. A warmth washed over her. It felt... weird. Like something changed and yet like nothing changed. At the same time. "There."

Britney opened her eyes but couldn't see anything different. "Was that al..." her voice was different. A higher pitch. Getting to ger feet she rushed over to the tall mirror in the corner of her room. Gaping she couldn't belive her eyes. Because the one looking back at her was...

"Is this me?" she asked softly, touching her face. All her life she had hated her own reflection. It had been a constant reminder of everything she wasn't. Now... now it was everything she had ever wanted. Not a woman born in a man's body. But a woman in a woman's body. Her hair was much longer, reaching her waist. While her breasts was not huge they were still noticeable. A quick peek into her underwear showed that _it_ was gone.

"I took inspiration from your description but kept the base of your shape", the goddess said. "If that social worker comes for a visit I can place a glamour so she won't find out."

Britney turned to Captain America. He was watching them with a warm smile. "You don't mind me looking like this?"

"This is who you are. It is not up to me to make that decision for you. If you are happy like this then I'm happy. For you." The blond stood and held out his arms. A clear invitation. Loki nudged her forward and nodded in encouragement. Hesitantly she closed the distance, letting the man engulf her in a warm hug. It had been years since anyone had been kind to her, much less hugged her.

A sob slipped out from her lips and before she knew it she was bawling. Clinging to a superhero like a small child to their parents. And he let her. For the whole time she cried and wailed he didn't let go.

* * *

Gran-Gran really was amazing, Tony decided. It wasn't that he could handle the Avengers, even if that was impressive in its own right. What made him amazing was how he somehow could reach into people's souls and bring out the things hidden inside. Even more amazing was how he somehow had managed to instill the same thing in them.

Exampel number one. Steve and Britney. While it had been Loki who turned the girl onto, well, a girl. It was Steve that brought her out of her shell. Gently being there for her. Encouraging and with so much love. The kind of love all of them had first experienced from the ancestor turned parent. Love that was patient and kind. Guiding her and helping her.

Because the Compound was rather isolated the teenagers was receiving schooling at the facility. From the various scientists and engineers that were employed in combination with the Avengers themselves. Since Loki had lived through much of history he had a unique perspective to offer them. When Peter visited he was introduced to two. Mitch was still horribly withdrawn and wouldn't even look at the other boy. Making the spiderling worried he had done something wrong. At least he got along with Britney. They never really came around to telling him the girl had basically transitioned. Using magic. Meaning she had everything a girl was supposed to have. In the same way as someone who had been born with it.

"Are you okay?" Pepper asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm just thinking", the engineer replied. "Steve is doing a great job with those kids and I can totally see him keep working with vulnerable teens. Heck, I would totally sponsor it. And Gran-Gran is obviously behind much of it. I recognise the parenting style."

"Are you wondering if you would be able to do the same? Follow Loki's style?"

"Can you blame me? Without him I would have left Peter completely on his own and would probably traumatised him even more than he was already traumatised."

"But you didn't. Loki gave you advice and you listened", the strawberry blonde woman placed a hand on his neck. "Tony... is this your way of saying that you want a child? With me?"

"Would you be okay with that? I'm still Iron Man."

"Apparently we will be around for millennia. Both of us. I have accepted that this is part of who you are. And with this remarkable family around us... Yes, Tony, I would be okay with it."

* * *

Washing his face Mitch shuffled out of his bedroom. It was early morning. So far his stay had been... uneventful. Unless you counted playing video games with Hawkeye. Everyone had been kind to him and not commented on his weight. 

He wasn't stupid. He knew perfectly well what he was. Fat. A fatso. Waste of space. Faggot.

Opening the door to the kitchen he had expected it to be empty, given the hour. Instead the resident god was preparing breakfast while the guy with metal arm kept an eye on the small children. Mitch wasn't sure exactly _why_ there were kids at the Avengers Compound but he had gotten used to them. He was pretty sure Loki had something to do with their presence. 

"Can you believe how big they have become?" Metal guy said. "It seems like yesterday that they were born."

"You never get used to it", the god said and looked up from his cooking. "Or are you trying to tell me you want more children?"

"I wouldn't mind it but I leave that up to you."

"Mmm... you are quite a remarkable man James Barnes-Silver." The Metal guy laughed and then he... kissed the god... he kissed another man like it was normal.

Mitch accidentally bumped the door as he tried to back away. Making it smash open. The two men didn't appear to react much but he knew better.

"Good morning, dear. Do you want some breakfast?" Loki asked as if nothing had happened.

The teen tried to back away. Run. Flee. But his disgusting body wouldn't move. He couldn't breathe. At any moment they would have had enough and do what everyone did to Mitch when they realised he was worthless. It would hurt, but he was used to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is no secret that my stories often addresses social issues. And naturally they will reflect my stance on those subjects. I do it because it helps build the story but also because I have a genuine interest in subjects like that. 
> 
> If reading that kind of thing makes you uncomfortable, I'm probably not a writer you would enjoy. Because it is by now a norm in my writing. 
> 
> To all of you who don't mind and/or like me doing this, thank you! I hope I can live up to your expectations!


	59. Chapter 59

"Mitch, can you hear me?" Loki frowned as the teen was breathing rapidly. "Mitch, I need you to take deep breaths. Can you do that for me?"

It was like the boy had checked out of reality. His eyes were oddly glazed and he didn't react to anything. The god was reluctant to touch someone who was panicking but he couldn't let this go on. Even so, he didn't miss the flinch as his fingers lightly touched the teen's arm. Gently he rubbed the arm, keeping it light and soothing. After a couple of minutes Mitch blinked rapidly and awareness returned to his eyes.

"There you are", the Trickster said with warmth. "Come, let's sit down." He lead the teen to the table and went back to his cooking as nothing had happened. All while keeping an eye on the youth. Jason and Ethan babbled, both patting the older boy on his hands. James poured a glass of milk, as they had seen the boy drink it before.

"They are quite the imps, aren't they", the former soldier said with a smile. "After the life I had lived I never thought I could get something so amazing as that."

"What...?" Mitch furrowed his brow in confusion. 

"James served alongside Steve during the Second World War", Loki said as he fried eggs and bacon. "He was captured and hurt badly by Hydra. They used him for several decades."

"During the... with..." the teen's eyes widened. "Are you Sergeant Bucky Barnes?"

"I used to be", the brunett said. "Well, I'm still Bucky but since I married Loki my last name is Barnes-Silver."

"Married... but you are two men. Didn't the others get angry?"

The god snorted. "My children encouraged us to be together in the first place. Maybe we didn't make it clear but Tony, Natasha, Bruce, Clint and Steve are all my children through adoption. Before that they were my descendants." He saw the awed and confused expression. "I'm a god and I have lived over a thousand years. Over the centuries I've had many children. Both as the father and as the mother."

Placing a plate with food in front of the youth he smiled gently and ruffled the black hair. Mitch took the fork and began eating slowly. The god had certain suspicions regarding the boy and why he had reacted like he had. They ate in silence and afterwards James took the twins outside so they could burn off some energy. 

"Mitch, if there is anything you want to tell me, _anything_ , you can do so. I won't tell anyone else unless you want me to", Loki said. He figured he would make the offer and that in a week or two the boy would tell him what was weighing on him.

"I'm a faggot..." the words were spoken so softly that no mortal ears could have picked them up. "A fat, disgusting faggot..."

"Who told you that?" It was difficult to keep the anger out if his voice. 

"Everyone... my dad, my mom... in foster homes the real children would say it. In school. The foster parents."

"Oh, Mitch. You didn't deserve that."

"I did. I do. I'm a waste of space. A fatso. A disgusting cock sucking faggot."

Now the Trickster wanted to cry. He knew this sort of self-punishment all to well. Hearing such words over and over until you started to believe that they were true. And even if he wanted to tell the youth that all those people had been wrong, he knew it wouldn't help. Normally he wouldn't consider his next step but if it helped with Mitch's self-confidence it was worth it. Loki placed a hand on the teen's arm and sent his seidr inside. First he delved the boy's body. And found that there was some kind of underlying condition causing him to gain weight. An imbalance of some sort. So, he fixed it. Maybe Midgardian medicine could have treated it or mitigated it but he didn't care. It was within the scope of his abilities to take care of, so he did. Then he took the next step.

* * *

Mitch jumped when his body started glowing a faint green. Then warmth flooded him. The next moment he was swamped by his clothes. Blinking he looked at himself. He was... thinner.

"Oh dear", Loki chuckled. "Let's adjust that." The god waved his hand and... the teen stared at himself. He was thinner and now his clothes fitted him again. As if they had been shrunk.

"You... fixed me..."

"I did not. There was nothing about you that was wrong just because you were big."

"Fat."

"...on Asgard there is a warrior named Volstagg. He is a man who's appetite knows no limits and he is best described as fat. But he is also strong. One of Asgard's strongest warriors, able to compete against those who carry the title of gods. His bulk meaning nothing. I could see that your weight bothered you, made you feel uncomfortable. That's why I gave you a bit of a running start. But Mitch, there is nothing wrong with you for having ended up where you did."

"..."

Mitch looked down on himself. He was happy to be rid of the fat but it didn't change the most fundamentally wrong thing about him. After all, he was still a faggot and a waste of space. 

* * *

Steve's fist hit the sandbag. He had met with the social worker, a woman he was starting to detest. After demanding answers he had finally been told that Britney had indeed been thrown out all those times because she was transgender. The foster homes had claimed they didn't sign up to care for a freak. All while the social worker refused to recognise the girl's condition. Well, at least that wasn't an issue any more. Not only was she finally happy and comfortable, Tony's lawyers were busy making certain that he could legally adopt the teen. They were also working on changing her legal gender. 

Then there were Mitch. Oh, his heart broke for poor Mitch. He had been handed the boy's file and it had been ugly. Abuse for years without intervention until his parents had nearly killed him when they found him kissing a boy. Foster home after foster home had continued the abuse. He had been placed with people who were 'good Christians'. The type of people who gave other Christians a bad name. People who had tried to 'fix' the youth. And then Mitch had started gaining weight. A doctor had prescribed medication but the people in charge of him had not given it to him.

Needless to say, Tony's lawyers were in the case there as well. 

Steve had talked with Loki, seeking advice on how to help the boy. The god's intervention had boosted his health and self-esteem significantly but he was still very hard on himself. So, the soldier had hoped his dad had some idea how to proceed. He had but it wasn't a quick fix.

_"It will take time and it will be slow. When you have been hurt so many times you start to believe you deserve it. The words becomes the truth. What we can do for him is to treat him like he deserves to be treated. With love and kindness. Letting him know that he is allowed to be himself. And it will take time. The only additional thing you could do is find him a therapist who specialises in teenagers. One who can further help Mitch to heal. There is no quick fix for this, leanbh*. I'm sorry."_

The soldier had listened and taken it to heart. Since he had taken to offer Mitch compliments often, encouraging him to do things he liked and never - never - criticise him. Thankfully the rest of the Avengers was on his page and did the same. Clint especially was amazing. Maybe because he had children who was rapidly coming closer to their own teens. Pepper had helped with finding a therapist and had managed to find one who helped traumatised LGBT kids. Loki had also vetted the woman. The sessions would start next week.

His fist hit the sandbag again. Hard. All of that had been before he learned of his foster children's history. He was rarely furious. Bucky had often commented that Steve would get angry often at things he viewed as wrong. But it was a righteous anger. A bit annoying but somewhat understandable. 

This was murderous fury of the like he had never knew he could feel. He hated bullies. And some he hated even more than he had ever hated anyone. So, he was punching a sandbag. Because it wasn't right to act on this kind of fury.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *child (Irish)


	60. Chapter 60

The security for the facility was in her opinion absolutely ridiculous. A large, thick wall. Then a long stretch of road just to reach the first building. There were many... oddities at the Avengers Compound. Like the snake. And the wolf. Why would anyone have robots looking like such creatures? Andrea Brown pulled the car up to the curb outside what was supposedly the living quarters. Waiting for her were Tony Stark. In a suit and sunglasses. 

"Yo", he said. "You sure know how to pick a time for a visit."

"And why is that?"

"Well, you managed to pick the time when Gran-Gran and Bucky are away with the twins. For a surprise visit nonetheless."

"This is standard practice mr. Stark. All children who are in foster care will be checked up on."

"Uhu, sure. Whatever you say. This way then."

Andrea had no idea who this 'Gran-Gran' was supposed to be. Someone significant if they were brought up like this. She was brought to a large room filled with sofas, armchairs and beanbags. Upon which a big group of people were seated. Some were reading a book, others were using devices. A couple of them were just talking. Looking around the social worker tried to spot the teenagers she had come for. She couldn't see them but she saw someone else.

"Mrs. Brown", Steve Rogers said. "We didn't expect you."

"Standard procedure. Where are they?"

"They are right here. Britney? Mitch?"

Two youths stood up and approached the adults. Blinking Andrea at first couldn't grasp why they had been called. Then she saw it. Thin, thinner than she had ever seen him Mitch moved with ease. He almost seemed lanky. Then there were the girl. 

"Brian?" she said and then turned on Rogers. "What is the meaning of this? Why is he dressed like a girl?"

"That's not my name", Brian muttered.

"Britney is dressed in the manner she prefer to dress", the blond said sternly. "If she prefer girly clothes it is her choice."

" _He_ is a boy", she said with a hiss. "You can't indulge this behavior."

"Well, it is not as much a behavior as a fact at this point", Stark said. "Britney is a girl, courtesy of Gran-Gran and his magic." The billionaire grinned. "Maybe you understand better if I say Loki?"

Andrea couldn't believe her ears. "You let that... that madman use his witchcraft on an innocent boy?"

"Easy with the cranky attitude, Karen. Loki didn't do anything that Britney didn't want. Just because you are transphobic and refused to acknowledge her gender doesn't mean everyone will."

"Easy Tony", Rogers placed a hand on each of the teen's shoulders. "You knew who I am when you agreed to let me foster these two. There is no secret that we, the original Avengers, are related to Loki by blood. Of course I asked for help and advice from my father."

"That's..."

"Ma'am, he's a literal god. Calling him a madman and his magic witchcraft is to ignore all the good he has done for the world."

"You realise I could revoke my decision for any reason at any point", Andra growled. 

"No!" Brian cried out and threw his arms around the blond's waist. "I refuse to leave. Steve is my dad now! This is my home." Mitch didn't say anything but he nodded.

"Changes were made to your body without permission from your biological parents or the state", she said and crossed her arms. "We will se that rectified before you are placed anywhere else. As for you Mitch. I don't know what happened but I'm disappointed you didn't bothered doing it before."

"Ah, crap..." Stark said scratching his chin. "You are really one crazy lady, aren't you..."

* * *

Steve was becoming furious. It was obvious from a mile ahead. He clutched both teens closer to him in a gentle but protective hold. Tony figured he needed to handle the situation before the soldier blew a fuse. In the weeks those two had been at the Compound his brother had really gotten attached to the kids. Britney declaration wasn't a spur of the moment thing either.

"I am doing my job mr. Stark", the chubby woman said.

"I'm sure you at least think you are. Why don't you come with me for a bit? My office is close by." She reluctantly followed him. Leaving Steve two comfort two traumatised teenagers with a crappy social worker. He had no doubt that there were plenty of them who truly cared for their charges. But this one didn't. That much was obvious. Thankfully he had actually prepared for this.

Closing the door behind them he took out two folders and handed them to her.

"What is this?" Brown demanded.

"Legal documents. Or rather, copies of them. This one", he removed a document, "legally change Britney's gender on all legal documents. There are already several exemptions in place to deal with Loki's magic. Since they change the playing field completely. Britney signed a statement that she agreed to her magic transition. As for Mitch, Gran-Gran healed him from a physical ailment that caused him to gain weight. The doctors on site have declared it a necessary magical intervention."

"You realise that all these things should have been run by me first?" the woman said in s condescending tone.

"Not according to the law. Not only did the so-called parents of those two sign away their parental rights completely, the responsibility was handed over to Steve when you assigned him their care. In addition to that both Britney's and Mitch's case has been classified as divine intervention."

The last one had surprised the engineer but according to his lawyers it was very much a thing. A recent thing. It had been part of the Enhanced Human Rights Act and the International Response Accord. Giving Loki a section of his own where most of his actions would be classified as divine intervention. And the federal government had added this as part of the legal system. It basically allowed the god to use his powers as he saw fit without repercussions. Tony though it said a lot that no one had bothered to inform the Trickster of this fact.

"That's..."

"Trust me, Mrs. Brown. Gran-Gran is not a person you want to go against. You should be relieved he is not here. Steve might be furious at you but he won't do anything. Gran-Gran wouldn't bat an eye if he thought you were doing something he doesn't like. After all, he is a god and you are just a puny mortal."

"I see. That decides it. Brian and Mitch can't stay here anymore. It is obvious that this environment is not beneficial for them", the hateful woman said and made to stand up.

"Not so quick", the engineer smirked and took out another document. This one was signed by a judge. "This is the adoptions papers for those two. Steve has officially become their parent. At their age they could speak up themselves about their wishes and the judge decided that those wishes was all that mattered. You can not legally remove them. The only reason they don't know is because I got the confirmation this morning and haven't had the time to tell them."

"You..." Brown gaped at him and Tony gave her a nasty smile.

"I'm the great grandson of the god of mischief. Did you really think I would allow you to come here and stomp all over those kids? As I said, Steve is to decent to do anything too underhanded. I don't have any such reservations. And he is my brother. Making those two my niece and nephew. You bet I will help protect them."

"I could sue you for this!"

"I'm the richest man alive. Do you really want to try that with me?" Now she paused, realising who she was dealing with. "Good. This is what will happen. You will retire from your job and never bother any poor kid ever again. Or I will give your supervisor evidence that you have willfully placed vulnerable teenagers with people who are openly homophobic and transphobic. Blatantly ignored abuse and neglect caused by this. I'm giving you an out. Take it or your whole reputation will be gone."

He kind of hoped she would refuse. And to his delight, she did. Saying she wouldn't be blackmailed before storming out.

"Do it FRIDAY. Drag that awful woman through the mud. And let everyone she has no one to blame but herself."

" _As you wish, boss_."

* * *

Nova Prime eyed the Power Stone with well concealed worry. Listening to the report from her commander. The Titan was moving. And it was very possible he would come for the Stone. Giving her a dilemma. Should she send it away and hope to find a different location for it. Or should she allow the risk of an attack on Xandar. If she sent it away, where should she send it.

Either way, she was running out of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thing I can't link directly to here is now posted on my subreddit r/ikajoverse if you want to check it out. Or just hang out with me 🙂


	61. Chapter 61

Tony and Clint was walking through the streets towards Bleckerstreet. Mister Doctor had contacted them, saying he wanted to talk. Because the two had some free time they had decided to be the ones to go. The engineer had checked in with his little taskforce before they headed to their meeting. His plans for building more or less a village was underway. Though it might turn into a fairly big town down the road. Houses, a school, a grocery store, a Stark founded hospital and hopefully other stuff as well. Initially the housing would be for the family and any Avenger who wanted a home of their own. But he also intended to offer homeless people from all over the country some place to live. And employing them in the different stores that he planned as well.

What? He was a billionaire. It was not making even a dent in his fortune.

"Where did Wanda and Vision go again?" the archer asked as they trudged along.

"Great Britain. Glasgow, I think. A nice little romantic get away."

"Weirdest romance ever..."

"Eh. Not our place to judge I'd say. Here we are." Tony pointed to the door. Walking up to it he knocked and... found himself on the inside. His brother stumbled and glared at the wizards.

"You could have just opened the door like a normal person", he grumbled. "What's with your clothes?"

"I thought we could discuss matters over some lunch", Strange said. The engineer took in his appearance. A dark jacket over a simple button up shirt and jeans. Not looking like a master of magic or whatever he was.

"You want me to treat you?" he said dryly. "You better like Burger King then."

"The richest man alive and you eat at Burger King?" the wizard said incredulous. 

"It is that or McDonald's. Your choice. I just happen to have a craving for cheeseburgers. What you say, Birdbrain?"

"I want a bucket of chicken nuggets", the archer said.

"You cannibal. Eating your bird friends are you?"

"A hawk is a bird of prey", Clint said in a deadpan voice. The brothers' eyes met and they burst out laughing. Especially seeing the expressions of the wizards. It seemed like the one named Wong was about to say something when a chill went through all of them. A strange, sickening sensation that was followed by a loud and high pitched sound.

Turning on his heels Tony burst out through the door and...

Up in the sky were a huge flying... donut. Made of metal. It didn't take a genius to figure it was a spaceship. People were fleeing their cars and hurried away from the oncoming threat. A beam shot down, within it stood two really ugly creatures. Aliens.

"Rejoice", the thin and small one said. "Today you all will become the children of Thanos and as such you will know true freedom."

"What do you want with Earth?" the engineer asked loudly. He had heard the name 'Thanos' before. That was the one who had hurt Gran-Gran and forced him to attack all those years ago.

"We are here for the Stone. Hand it over and no harm will come to you."

Strange placed a protective hand over his weird necklace. Oh yeah, it contained one of those Infinity thingies. "Not a chance. Go home Squidward, Earth is closed", Tony jeered. 

"Stonekeeper, does this... creature... speak for you?"

"Absolutely not. I will never hand over the Stone to you or anyone."

"Very well", Squidy said and waved his hand. Which caused a car to come careening towards them. Before Strange or Wong could do their hand waving the vehicle exploded.

"Geez, you people talk too much", Clint said and drew another arrow. Pointing it at the aliens. "Let's take care of this."

Tapping his chest Tony smirked. The Bleeding Edge armour forming around him.

But of course it wasn't that simple. Though they held well on their own the big one was tough. Very tough. And the thin squid had some serious psychic abilities. Both were relentless. Slowly they had retreated to a park and it took both Iron Man and Hawkeye to keep the doctor wizard from being snatched by evil aliens.

The giant one nearly landed a full-blown hit on Tony's reactor - which would have been bad. Inches from his face the fist stopped. Held back by... webbing?!

"Hey mr. Stark", a familiar voice said and the engineer couldn't believe his eyes.

"Kid?! What are you doing here?" Because it was indeed Peter in his Spider-Man suit.

"I was on a field trip when I saw the spaceship. Well, I was on the bus but still. Um... you wouldn't mind..." Rolling out of the way at the last minute the engineer felt more than saw the huge fist rip into a tree. "What can I do?"

"See the guy with a cape? That's a wizard and he has a necklace this guys want. They _can not_ have it. You here me, kid?"

"Yep. Keep the wizard safe."

It was looking real bad for a bit. Then both Avengers had had enough. Calling on their magic they managed to take down the big one. It looked like Squidward was going to get the wizard so they set after them.

"Wait here, Peter", Tony told the teen. 

"But..." 

"We can teleport back to Earth. Between us we can bring one more person but we can't bring two. So wait here."

"Shellhead!" Clint called. "We need to hurry!"

"Just wait here for us", the engineer begged the kid who nodded sullenly. He and his brother blinked out of existence and appeared on the bridge of the ship. Squidy hadn't noticed them. The archer drew his bow and let loose five arrows of pure energy. Killing the alien.

"Why did you come?" asked Strange in a pained voice.

"Questions later, Doc Oz. We need to get out of here", Tony said and grabbed one arm. His brother grabbed the other. Both sent their magic through the cosmos, connecting with Earth. Allowing them to teleport back to Earth. 

Breathing harshly both men collapsed on their hands and knees. Exhausted. Taking stock of himself the engineer figured they had used up their seidr for now.

"Contact... Compound..." Clint panted.

"Why?"

"Vision... Stone... in danger..."

Ah crap. That was true. Vision had a freaking Stone on his forehead and if Thanos was looking for them he would likely come for the synthezoid as well.

Calling the Compound he decided that Steve could handle that rescue mission. He himself needed a new set of lungs. Or at least some rest. 

* * *

T'Challa saw the footage from New York. Narrowing his eyed he turned to Okoye. The woman stood as always proud and ready. 

"Send out a call to the Jibari tribe", he said. "We have a job to do."

"Do you really intend to invite the fight here, my king?"

"Where would be better, General? I will contact our allies, the Avengers. Whatever this is, they will know and we will be stronger together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just something to note. While I've so far followed the movies more or less in this story Ragnarok never happened. The changes I made means that the events that lead up to that movie no longer did. So Asgard is still intact. Thor has his hammer and no one went to Sakaar. Because Hela never had to be imprisoned the Valkyries never fought her so Brunhilde never left for Sakaar either. 
> 
> I also want to add that I'm convinced there are plenty of great social workers out there. This story just required a bad one.


	62. Chapter 62

He felt like he had ran a marathon against Steve and Bucky on top of lesson with Loki. In other words he was exhausted. To the side lay his bow. It was only because of habit and learning to create pocket dimensions that he even had had it with him. Even trying to get up resulted in him sitting down even harder. Muttering a curse Clint took comfort in the fact that Tony wasn't in any better shape. The engineer had contacted the Compound. Steve was hopefully on his way to help Vision and Wanda. Or just move them to a better location. Fretting over all of them were the Spider-kid, seeming unsure of what he should do.

All of them jumped when a multicoloured beam slammed into the ground. For a moment the archer wondered if there were more freaking aliens coming to attack them. But no... he saw two pair of booted feet. Boots that looked oddly familiar. Raising his head he saw two tall men in front of him. They looked kind of similar to the twins, Jason and Ethan that is. Kind of. And not just because these two were adults. What really stood out was the fact that the men looked just like Loki.

"I am Vali", the one of the left said.

"I am Narfi", the on the right said.

"We are the sons of Loki", they said in unison. "We have come to aid you and our father in the battle against the Titan Thanos."

Clint and Tony exchanged a look. Their attire looked Asgardian and at this point, they needed all the help they could get.

* * *

Steve, Natasha and Sam had managed to retrieve Vision and Wanda despite a run in with the Black Order. Loki was worried about his family. They were sitting ducks in the Compound but where else could they go?

The bright sparkles of a portal started in one end of the room. Everyone tensed. First through was Strange and his associate followed by Peter. Next came Clint and Tony. They were battered and leaned on each other for support. After them... the Trickster stared. The two young men looked nearly identical to him but with a different shade of green in their eyes. Their outfits mirrored one another. Inspiration taken from both Asgard and Vanaheim. Short robes in black and green combined with black leathers. Both wore a long knife at their waste. Upon walking through the portal they zeroed in on the god. Striding up to him they halted abruptly and fell down on one knee. Lowering their heads in deference. 

"Father", they chorused. "It is an honour to finally. Meet you. We are..."

"Vali and Narfi..." because he realised who they had to be. His two sons that he had never met. The children of Sigyn. Who he had abandoned out of fear for causing their death. And yet, both looked up with identical grins. As if they were pleased. There were no sign of hostility resentment. 

"Mother would tell us about you", Vali said.

"Explaining why no one could know our relationship to you", Narfi filled in.

"We swore that one the day came we would fight by your side", they said in unison. "And that we would remain with you, our Father until the end."

"That's... please, don't kneel in front of me. I'm not Odin who would have his closest growel before him. And you should properly meet your siblings."

They did as he asked even if they gave their human siblings a bit of a dubious look. Yet, both men treated them politely and didn't seem offended.

"Their lifespan, it is strange", Vali said.

"Longer. Not mortal", Narfi nodded.

"That's thanks to Hela, your sister. She has prolonged their lives. In addition to several others", the Trickster explained.

"We know of Hela. We also see Fenris and Jormungand." Again they spoke in chorus. It seemed like they did it without thinking. "They are our godly siblings. These former mortals are still humans. But brave warriors nonetheless."

"Actually", Strange said, "about that..." he was interrupted by Selvig bursting through the door. It was rare that any of the staff entered the living quarters. The astrophysicist was flushed and flustered. 

"We have communication from Wakanda", he said while panting. "From the king. Something about a battlefield?"

* * *

"Why can't we go with you?" Britney demanded and crossed her arms. "I want to see Wakanda."

"And I will make certain it will happen", Steve said calmly. "But not today. Honey, we are going there to fight. Drawing a massive force of hostile aliens to a single point. We are not going there for fun."

The girl had tears in her eyes and her lower lip wobbled dangerously. Beside her Mitch also looked miserable. His heart ached for them but the soldier knew it was the only way. He couldn't place them in potential danger. Not anymore than they already were. It didn't help that Jason and Ethan would also remain. In their care at that.

They were scared. For him. For all of them. People died in battle and they knew that. All anyone could hope for was that it wouldn't be them. Gently pulling them into a hug Steve steeled his heart.

"Wouldn't it be better if we just destroy the Stones?" Vision asked.

"Vision, no!" Wanda exclaimed.

"It is my life against billions. Trillions", the synthezoid said. "It is the best solution to prevent Thanos plans. We can't let him get all the Stones."

"I can't let the Time Stone be destroyed", Strange said. "It is the duty of us masters to protect it."

"You could barely protect yourself!" Tony protested.

"This might be our best weapon against Thanos!"

"Be at ease red metal man", one of the godly twins said. "Thanos can not collect all of the Stones."

"Indeed", the other one said. "The Aether never resurfaced during the Convergence and only one of our father's ability can reach it now."

"Something the Titan is completely unaware of", the chorused. 

"We don't trade lives", Steve said. "Let's not do anything drastic until we have ran out of other options."

"Steve is right", Loki said calmly. "Shuri is a crafty girl, I'm sure she can find a solution. We need to hurry before the Titan's forces are drawn here. Strange, Wong. Can we rely on you for portals?"

"We can do better than that", Strange said and got a nod from his friend. 

"Today the Masters of the Mystic Arts will fight for the physical world."

Steve gave his son and daughter a last hug before handing over to Pepper's competent hands. Bucky and Loki kissed their young boys and held them close before entrusting the trio with them. Shortly thereafter they stepped out into the heat of Wakanda's jungle.

"Welcome", T'Challa said. "Let's prepare."

* * *

"Where?" Gamora asked anxiously. "He destroyed Xandar for the Power Stone. Where is he heading now?"

"From the signal it looks like Earth", Rocket said. "But we never get there in time."

"Earth", Peter muttered. "Too bad the Bifrost is just a fairytale."

"What is a Bifrost?" Mantis asked.

"A rainbow bridge that the Aesir gods used to travel between realms."

"The Aesir? You mean Asgard?" the racoon asked.

"Yeah. But it is just a story."

"Asgard is real", Gamora said. "Years ago my father...Thanos had an Asgardian in his grasp. But we have less of a chance of finding Asgard than trying to reach Earth."

Just as she said this something collided with their ship. Groot let out a sound and pointed. Just outside on the nose of their ship stood a muscled man.

"I am Groot", the tree said.

"I have no idea about this one... should we let him in?"

The man raised a hammer and through the window she saw him form the words:

_"Heimdall, open the Bifrost."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vision and Wanda was saved as in the movie. Which is more or less the end of canon. Kind of.


	63. Chapter 63

Strange and Vision had been secured with Shuri, guarded by Wanda. In order to draw Thanos forces Loki was sending up a false signal. Imitating the signature of the Stones. Hopefully it would be enough. They needed to buy time so that the Mind Stone could be destroyed. The Trickster was not convinced that they had the power to defeat Thanos. Something he wisely kept to himself. He intended to try though. 

Almost all of his children were there. The exception being the younger twins and Jormungand. His snake of a son had no way of reaching Wakanda and was too big to move across land. Instead the serpent was protecting the Compound and would do what he could to lend strength. He wished he could have kept all of his family out of this but knew that they would never back down. At least they are many allies.

The field was packed. Tribes from all of Wakanda. Sorcerers of Earth. And of course the full might of the Avengers. And James.

"I never thought we would go into battle side by side", the man said calmly. 

"Do you have regrets?" the god asked.

"Why would I have regrets? Doll, I love you. One way or another we are going to end things today."

Smiling Loki looked over his friends and family. Even the Spider-Child was present. Equipped with a new fancy suit that came with extra features. In front stood the Wakandan King. Stoking the fighting spirit of his men. The Trickster was impressed with him. Not only had he opened his kingdom for the world, he now placed himself and his forces between the same world and those that sought to destroy it.

"Incoming", Tony warned. And seconds later spikes lanced the ground. Spilling out Chitauri and Outriders.

"Don't hold back", Loki told his children. "But don't overdo it either. Remember, seidr doesn't only come from within. It also comes from all around you. Most importantly. Don't die. Any of you."

"Same goes for you Pops", Clint said.

"We will make you proud, Papa", Natasha promised fiercely. 

"I know you will, _milaya*_. I know you will."

Bruce allowed himself to turn into the Hulk. And Steve studied the creatures throwing themselves at the shield. 

"We can't let them get behind us. We need to bottleneck them here", he said. 

T'Challa also studied the foul things and spoke in a communicator. "Lower the shield in this sector. _Only_ this sector."

Seconds later all Helheim broke loose.

* * *

Ever since he had first got control of his transformations he had never gone full out. Now he let loose. Bruce fueled all fear and anger into the shape that was the Hulk. Boosting his strength several times over. Roaring he rushed into the oncoming flood. Punching, kicking and even ripping them apart. Not letting himself feel quesy or nauseous. There was nothing truly sentient about these things. Flanking him were one of the sorcerers who protected his back while letting him protect them. The sorcerer also used glowing ropes to attack.

Large wheels started tearing through the battlefield. Gathering all his power he jumped in front of one, stopping it and forcing it to turn around. Killing the aliens instead of humans. 

* * *

Natasha gound herself teaming up with Okoye. The general had excellent training and didn't need any help fighting. Together they targeted smaller groups. Hoping to come across Proxima Midnight.

"Not so bad", the black woman said as she swung her spear. 

"Likewise", the spy said and used her conjured blades to cut through any beast that came close enough. "Training since early childhood. You?"

"Same. Almost every Wakandan girl dreams of becoming Dora Milaje."

"Can we save the chitchat until after the battle?" Sam asked as he flew by, flanked by both Rhodey and Tony. The three of them acting as the aerial unit.

" _I'd take it as a good sign that they have energy you chat_ ", the engineer said.

" _You can't really complain about someone else talking, Tones_ ", the colonel said.

" _Touché._ "

* * *

For some reason he had ended up pairing with Clint. The two had long since reconciled but they has never had to trust each other like this in battle. Pietro ran in different patterns, keeping the archer safe. Using all of his speed to his advantage. Whenever possible he saved any other ally as well.

 _Ancestor Hermes_ , he prayed, _lend me all of your speed today_.

The speedster had no idea if the Olympian god listened or not. But he let himself believe that his speed and stamina was a sign. Now he only needed to last the full battle. Easy peasy. 

* * *

Keeping Peter from harm was harder than keeping a mouse alive in a room full of hungry cats. But man if Bucky didn't try. It wasn't that the kid was in the way or a bad fighter. He just seemed to constantly find the place where the fighting was the thickest.

The kid honestly reminded the former soldier of Steve. Same reckless energy.

Unlike Loki's descendants he had not been blessed with magic and extra abilities but he was still a super soldier. One that had promised his husband that he would make it through this alive. The problem was that the biggest bad had not made an entrance yet. Nothing could change until.

* * *

The coordination and battle prowess Vali and Narfi showed honestly amazed Loki. They were quite a deadly combination. And they had no problem fighting alongside Fenris or Steve. Both were welding thin spears and sharp daggers. Mobility and magic being their greatest assets. 

He himself moved between pockets of fighting while keeping up a second shield. One his allies could pass through but not the enemy. Providing a place to breathe and stopped the army of Outriders from coming closer to the city.

Red light crawled along the ground and he recognised Wanda's power. Which meant that the Stones were unguarded. He had to trust that Strange could hold on his own.

"What was she doing up there all this time", the Wakandan general said. Since she, the witch and Natasha together took down Proxima Midnight he didn't have much to complain about. Worst case scenario he would have to teleport to Vision's locations, getting them all out of there.

The light from the Bifrost suddenly lit up the sky, burning its mark on the ground. Landing with a thud were... Thor. Hefting his hammer the god of Thunder let out a mighty roar and ran head first into the enemy army.

Loki decided to take it at face value. 

His brother had not come alone. A colourful spaceship sat above the battle and as he watched it opened and several people rained down. He didn't recognise any of them except one.

"Gamora", he said calmly. The green woman turned and looked at him wide-eyed. 

"You! You are alive!" she exclaimed.

"Very much so. Can I hope that you are on our side and not Thanos'?"

"I want to see my father dead", she swore and he believed her. "My presence might even bring him out. I have information he will want."

"Information?"

"I know where the Soul Stone is."

"Of course you do... I know you are a strong fighter. Is there anyone in your group you could spare to protect two more Stones?"

"Mantis isn't very strong but her empathic abilities are." Gamora pointed out the other woman. Loki nodded, exchanged quick words with the empath before teleporting her to Shuri. He was sure he saw her looking a bit relieved. Hopefully she would be enough. 

"I am Groot." The god heard in the distance, surprised. A Flora Colossus. 

"I am Steve Rogers."

Snorting Loki decided he would let his son now later what the tree creature _really_ had said. And he was determined that it should be a later.

"My team is called the Avengers. What about yours?"

"We are the Guardians of the Galaxy."

A chill went through the two and they turned in unison. The one they had anticipated had finally joined the battle.

Thanos had arrived on Earth and now he was here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweetheart (Russian) 
> 
> There are so many characters to keep track off 😳 what have I gotten myself into... but I'm trying to avoid crowding and cause confusion. 
> 
> It is now over two months since I started writing this thing. That's kind of baffling.


	64. Chapter 64

If the real world had any sense for dramatics the battlefield should have become completely quiet when Thanos joined. Alas. Real world had very little in common with fiction. Instead of a hush the Titan's arrival was drowned by the ongoing battle. Screams, shouts and clashing of weapons. 

Loki had thought he would feel more dread at seeing the creature that had caused him so much pain. Instead he was filled with determination. Picking up two stones in a suitable size he placed an advanced glamour on them. After a moment he picked up a third and did the same. Now it looked like he had three Infinity Stones in his hands. They even emitted a false energy signal. Gamora gave him an odd look.

"Let's see how Thanos like a game of keep away", the god said and the green-skinned woman's eyes widened as she realised his plan.

"Let's give him the chase of his life", she said.

* * *

It had been long since Thor had engaged in battle like this. After so many years he finally had something to do. He had felt a bit sheepish returning to Asgard without anything to prove for his time away but what could he do? After learning of the Infinity Stones he had spent a long time trying to find the Guardians. And finally he could let his blood boil again.

Stumbling across the Captain the Thunderer was surprised to see the mortal using magic in addition to his shield. He had known his brother was teaching the Avengers magic but he had not thought them quite this able. It was like the man had attached invisible strings to his weapon of choice. Allowing him to manipulate it from a distance. There was also signs that he had amplified his strength temporarily through the use of seidr.

"Thor", he panted with a nod. "Good to see you."

"Likewise. Any good news from your life?"

"Uh... I adopted two kids? Teenagers."

"That's wonderful!"

It was quite by accident but Mjolnir came hurtling at the same time as the round shield. Coming from the same direction. Both men reached out their hands to catch their own weapon. Only to accidentally grab each others. Which wouldn't have been an issue if it wasn't for the fact that Steve Rogers was now holding the weapon. And swung it out of what had to instinct. Blinking Thor hesitantly offered the man's shield back.

"Thanks. Here. You will need it." The blond soldier hurried off towards a group of unknown warrior that had gotten trapped. Thor stared at his hammer. When a creature came too close he swung it.

Steve Rogers had lifted Mjolnir and used her in battle.

His brother's son was worthy of Mjolnir.

* * *

Flying over the battle Tony spotted them first. Gran-Gran and some green lady were running from a purple giant. He could guess who it was. The two were faster and more nimble but the way they kept themselves just ahead had to be intentional. There was a glow coming from the god's hand. And they were leading the purple man away from the city. Away from Vision and Strange. Clever.

"Rhodey, Sam", he said. "We need to help Loki distract the big bad over there. From a safe distance."

" _Roger that_ ", they answered. Together the trio swooped down and rained a volley of shots at Thanos. They then shoot up again, out of his immediate vicinity. Loki and his lady friend took the opportunity to round the giant, leading him further from the city but closer to the battle. To the battle and its confusion.

* * *

She was 89% done with copying the information from the Stone and downloading it to Vision's mainframe. Every second felt like one too many. Wanda had joined the battle so there was no one that could destroy the Stone even when it was removed. Behind her stood Doctor Strange and the weird alien lady with antennae on her forehead. The timid thing was supposedly there to provide some extra protection but Shuri was unsure how much she could do.

Not that she had been useless. Whenever the princess got to tense Mantis touched her shoulder and made her relax. Apparently she was an empath or something.

90%

Soon. Soon she would be done but then what?

* * *

Vali was the one who spotted their father first. Narfi caught on a moment later. The two shared a consciousness in many ways. Always knowing what the other knew. Able to communicate without a single word between them. They had grown up listening to their mother's stories. Hearing the rumours of the second Prince of Asgard. And they had been taught to be proud of their heritage, no matter what. That the man who fathered them wanted nothing more than to keep them safe. Keep them alive. Had they been known as sons of Loki during any part of their childhood they would likely have been killed.

That had changed.

Fighting alongside their siblings and their allies they took pride in their heritage. Finding admiration for their father.

"Brother", Vali said.

"Indeed", Narfi said and hefted his spear. They both knew what they had to do.

* * *

Gamora wouldn't have been able to keep up if it wasn't for Loki. Despite her enhancements. The Trickster kept boosting her somehow. Giving her speed and stamina. And she had to admit that the Asgardian was good. He dodged. Pretending to drop a Stone and having to snatch it before the Titan took it. Handing them over to her to throw weapons that wasn't more than toothpicks. All to keep Thanos too focused on them, and too angry, to go after the real Stones. 

The ground exploded in front of them and they came to a halt. Clutching the fake Stones to his chest Loki summoned a dagger. The Titan only had one Stone but the Power Stone was nothing to scoff at. She herself had helped negate its immense power once. Even though Peter took the biggest impact. 

"You can't believe that that would work on me", Thanos rumbled. "Daughter. You look well. Too bad Nebula never was as good as you."

She felt a chill at the mention of her sister. What had he done to her? No! She couldn't let herself be distracted. 

"You are not invincible", Loki said surprisingly calmly. "You will never be a god."

Fury crossed the Titan's face. He held out his hand. The one with the gauntlet. "You will regret your insolence, Asgardian."

"Well, first things first. I'm not Asgardian. Secondly, thanks for playing my game." The god opened his gist and the fake Stones fell to the ground. Magic fading. 

Momentarily stunned Thanos had no time to react when two men appeared out of nowhere and swung their spears. Successfully cutting of the arm with the gauntlet. Gamora gasped as her adopted father let out a scream of pain and rage. The men snatched the gauntlet and disappeared. 

"Third", Loki said menacingly as his blade grew into a two handed sword. "You will never, ever, threaten my family, my home, again."

He became a blur and before anyone could react he had swung the sword. Beheading Thanos in one swing.

For all intents and purposes, it was over.

* * *

Odin had watched the battle on Midgard from his seat on the throne. Mostly to make certain Thor didn't get himself killed. He had been surprised at seeing Loki there. Surrounded by people who he clearly had a connection to. The All-Father had certain suspicions regarding his younger son but to confirm them he would have to go to the mortal realm.

If he was right, this would mark both the end to something old and the birth to something new. Something that would be the end of Loki among the Aesir. And perhaps that wasn't the worst outcome.


	65. Chapter 65

Despite Loki separating Thanos head from his body the battle didn't stop. But if definitely turned the tide. Strange and Vision joined the battle alongside the Wakandan princess and antennae girl. The green lady seemed torn between being sad and being relieved. There was some history there, Tony was sure of it. With the addition of two Infinity Stones on the field it didn't take them all that long to clean up the dregs. Leaving only the pods, or whatever they were, sticking up out of the ground. The engineer had some plans for those. Because alien technology. 

Landing beside the god he watched his adoptive father use magic to separate a purple stone from a golden gauntlet. He took care to not touch it directly, encasing it in stone. Green lady eyed him varily.

"Do you intend to keep it?" she asked.

"No. The Power Stone is too dangerous. That said, I don't intend to let it lie around for anyone to pick up", the Trickster said.

"Then what are you going to do?" An unfamiliar man strode up to them. Giving the purple grape a weirded out look before placing a hand on green meanie's shoulder. 

"I'm going to send into fold space. The space between the realms. There it won't cause trouble. While I doubt it will work forever it should make things easier for a few centuries." Loki did some complicated gestured at the stone cased Stone was gone. "Now. You came with my brother but beyond Gamora I don't know your names."

"Peter Quill. Also known as Star-Lord." An image popped up on Tony's HUD, showing a kid that had gone missing in... the _eighties_? What the heck?! Quill continued. "Over there is Drax, he doesn't understand sarcasm. Or metaphors. Mantis. Rocket and Groot. We are the..."

"Guardians of the Galaxy. Gamora told me."

So that was the name of the green woman. Who stood over Thanos body liked she wanted to cry but couldn't make herself.

"Gran-Gran..." the engineer edged closer. "What's up with her?" The god made a face. 

"Thanos had a habit of... collecting... children. From the planets he 'saved'. She was one of them. He hurt her but he also raised her. Made her what she is."

Ah. Yeah. He could understand that sentiment. A loud voice was echoing over the field and was steadily coming closer. Thor. Looking very done with the Thunderer Steve joined them. He was the last of the siblings to reach the group.

"...glorious battle!" the god of thunder said in his booming voice. "I am most impressed. Brother!" He dunked Loki on the back, making his fellow god stumble a few steps.

"You are ever the considerate oaf", the Trickster muttered.

"I never knew you had such prowess in battle, brother! This was a most glorious kill! Ending the foul Titan." Thor threw an arm around the thin shoulders, pulling the god of mischief closer. Pinching the joint on the index finger Loki made his brother retract his arm rather quickly. Tony made certain to add the trick to his memory. Could be useful for when Clint decided to be an ass.

"Be glad I didn't stab you", the dark god said. "There was nothing glorious about this. It was just necessary."

"You are too modest! I'm also impressed with your children! Why, the good captain wielded Mjolnir." Everyone turned their gaze to the soldier who shrugged helplessly. 

"It just happened", he said.

"Nonsense! Imagine, a mortal! Worthy of my hammer!"

"About that..." Strange began but was cut off.

"This will make for a most triumphant return to Asgard!"

"I told you", Loki growled. "I'm not returning to Asgard."

"Nonsense! Why, I'm sure Father would welcome your children with open arms! Even if they are mortal and would normally not be allowed on the Realm!"

"Actually..." the wizard tried again but no one was paying him any attention. 

"Are you serious?" Clint asked. "Why would any of us go to Asgard?"

"Do you really think we would leave Earth?" Natasha said.

"Well, no. As mere mortals you wouldn't be allowed to stay."

"As I'm trying to say..."

"What about Dad then?" Steve demanded. Are you saying you think he should just leave us? For what? A place that hate him?"

"It is his home!"

Tony opened his mouth to add his own opinion of the Viking wonderland. Before he could a acid trip of colours slammed into the ground for the second time that day.

* * *

Should he have been surprised that it was Odin who stepped out of the burnt circle? Crossing his arms Loki stood steadily as the old man came closer. He had not seen his father since he had been sentenced to eternity in a cell. More or less disowned. 

"All-Father", he said coldly. "What can I do for you?"

The single blue eye studied him intently before the Asgardian King spoke. "I see that my suspicions has been proven correct", he said. "You are no longer of Asgard."

"Father..." Thor began to protest. Stopped by a raised hand.

"You have become the founder of a new Pantheon of gods", Odin said softly. "Those you call children have become gods alongside you."

"That's what I have been trying to tell you!" Strange said, frustration obvious in his voice. "That's why I asked you to come to the Sanctum. The original five Avengers and your husband has all become gods. All six of them."

Loki knew everyone had fallen silent. Bruce returned to his usual form, eyes wide, while James formed the word "god" without speaking the word. He wasn't as surprised as he was probably supposed to be. Ever since Hela had granted the humans prolonged lives he had wondered why. It had seemed so odd. Out of place. Now it made sense. There were greater powers in the universe than even the Norns. He had broken free from the cycle of fate. Thanks to his loved ones.

"I see", was all he said.

"You have become something much more than the god of mischief", the old king said. "Loki... I know that my words won't mean anything to you but... I am proud of you. Of the man you have become, of the things you have accomplished."

"You are right. Your words mean nothing to me. All my life you have treated mortals as beneath us. As lesser for their shorter lives. I have watched you treat them with indifference and I then experienced the same indifference myself. None of you understand the harm and pain you have caused. Because to you they are inconsequential." Loki relaxed his stance, arms falling yo his side. "I had to abandoned my children, mortal and godly alike, out of fear for their lives. To protect them. To please you. All while I watched you throw your mortal children's lives away as if they are nothing. Just like you threw away me."

"I'm sorry you feel like that."

"Leave, Odin All-Father. With that statement you have proven my words. You are sorry for my feelings. Not for your actions that lead to them. Earth is under my protection from now on. And you and your ilk will never, ever, again come here for your own amusement. If Thor want to see me he will follow my rules while he is here. And I won't allow a single child to be born of a god and then abandoned or used. No more of the indifference."

Odin studied him again. Then he bowed his head. "This is your realm of power now. I will be curious what you make of it but it is not the place for the Aesir or the Vanir. Not anymore. Thor, it is time for us to leave and leave this new king of gods to take care of things."

Reluctantly the god of thunder approached the Trickster. He stretched out a hand and let it drop. Then, much to Loki's surprise, pulled him into a hug.

"You will always be my brother", he swore. "I love you and that will never change. I don't want this to be the last time I see you..."

"Stop chasing mortal women and I will allow you to visit. Become a better man, a better king. But this is how things are now." He was released and Thor joined the All-Father. Seconds later they were gone.

"King of gods?" Tony said. "Really? That sooo doesn't sound like you, Gran-Gran."

"What is he supposed to be then?" Clint argued. "Chief of gods?"

"Papa is papa", Natasha insisted. "That hasn't changed."

"Why not father of the gods?" Steve asked. "Apparently it is accurate."

"What does that make me?" James demanded. "I refuse to be called queen or mother. He is not my parent, he is my husband."

"Leader of the gods?" Bruce suggested. 

Smiling to himself Loki turned to them. "Why bother with labels? You are my family. That's all that matters. We don't have to place any other labels. I love all of you so much and that's all that matters."

"...Grandmother of the gods?"

"Tony!" Several people groaned but the Trickster kept smiling. Whatever else had changed he was still the same and he would make certain that his loved ones could remain themselves as well.

"What about Protector of Earth?" Strange suggested. He shrugged when everyone turned to him. "It is accurate enough."

"Hmm... almost. Make it Protectors of Earth." The god looked at his sons and his daughter. "I will never be above any of you. We are equals bound together by love. How about that?"

Going by their growing smiles they liked that idea.


	66. Epilogue

_**One year later** _

_"Welcome to Avengers City! To your right you will find..."_

Loki moved out of the way as the tour bus drove past. It wasn't an unusual sight these days and it didn't bother him. They were limited to the commercial areas and some of the special facilities. Technically the so-called city was private owned land due to Tony's investments. The god had been quite impressed with his son. Everything was financed through Stark Industries and there were a lot of technological solutions that made the place different from mortal cities. Though the biggest part was that all of the Avengers was now able to live in a home of their own. All while being close enough that they could always see each other.

To absolutely no one's surprise the engineer had nabbed any alien technology he had been able to find. Using it to develop new technology. His next project was space travel. Using the Guardians of the Galaxy as liaison between different sovereign planets. Whenever he had time he still mentored young Peter who had been able to continue being a friendly neighbour Spider-Man, sponsored by Tony himself. 

Clint had went so far as to relocate his farm. Providing the town with crops he and his family raised. Helped by other inhabitants who saw an opportunity for physical work and working with animals. While the farm couldn't feed everyone and certainly not all the time people always rushed to the farm whenever they were selling something. Some parts of it was given to the extended family of course. Magic helped the archer keep the fields fresh and healthy while also making crops grow faster.

And of course an arc reactor powered everything in the town. It was a green city with very little emissions. All cars were self-driving with an AI. in each. Even the buses controlled using AI. Free healthcare for all residents had been Loki's suggestion. The technology was top notch and new inventions were tested at the hospital. That were usually paid to run those tests. Overseeing the testing were Bruce who felt like he was finally back in his environment. 

The excess houses had been offered to homeless all over the country. With housing came opportunities for work. A school provided education for children of all ages and there were even a movie theatre. Loki knew that a university was also in the plans. The Avengers Compound was still operational. New members were able to train and a lot of research took place within its labs. Even the old members travelled there regularly to offer advice or participate in exercises. 

Nodding to Steve who was overseeing the teens of his Youth Centre for Vulnerable Teenagers, called Captain's Home, he smiled as he saw Britney and Mitch play a game of tag. The social worker had been outed for her horrible behaviour towards the teens. It had opened the path for the soldier to work more intimately with younglings who society had discarded. At one point it had made the news. Being a father suited the blond. Gone were the somberness that had permeated his life for so long. Instead he spent his days smiling and offering hugs to anyone who needed them. Several of the youths had asked him to adopt them. Steve had agreed every single time. Now he was learning first hand that love only grew the more you had to love.

Learning that his actions were considered divine intervention had been fun. It had given Loki immense pleasure to proclaim on international TV that anyone who wished to change their sex could contact him. He would then teleport to the person in question and use his magic to help them transition. Avengers City had also been proclaimed a safe space for anyone in the LGBT community. And no one was stupid enough to attack a city full of superheroes. Or commit any crimes. 

The title of Protectors of Earth had been shortened to the Protectors. And only Loki's spouse and children had become gods. Their loved ones had the same status as most Asgardians. Long lives but no godly power. This was still a secret from the public, allowing them to live a little easier. 

Passing the dance studio the god smiled at the thought of Natasha. Who was finally able to put her skill to a better use than just killing. Every once in a while she and her students would put on a performance. She also taught young women self-defence and participated in protests for women's rights. Quickly becoming a role model for young girls. Loki was very proud of all his children and their accomplishments. 

Reaching his own home he opened the gate and was immediately tackled by Jason and Ethan. The two were by now five years old, almost six.

"Mommy!" they squealed happily. 

"Now now. I've only been gone for a few minutes to pick up some groceries. I'm sure you can survive that."

"Mommy, look", Ethan said. "Fenris is here!"

"Yes, I know. I invited him. Do you remember what today is?"

"No?" Jason said, tilting his head. 

"Today is the day Thanos was defeated. All of your siblings and their families will come for dinner tonight."

"Can we play with Fenris?" Ethan asked.

"Why don't you ask him?" The big wolf barked and rolled onto his back. A familiar way of saying that he very much wanted to play. Chuckling the god went inside to begin cooking. James caught him in a hug and kissed him loudly. "Really now? I'm gone for a few minutes and you act like I've been to the moon."

"Can't a man kiss his husband for no reason?" the former soldier said and laughed. "Do you think Thor really will come tonight?"

"It is a test run, that's for sure. But it seems like he has made effort with the family he already has. Sif and Thrúd. So, I'm giving him a chance. Besides, I'm sure he wants to meet Morgan." Tony had welcomed a baby girl only a couple of months ago. The engineer was so proud of his daughter that no one could help but laugh at his antics. It was also very, very sweet. As for his brother. It seemed like the oaf had finally taken his words to heart. What remained to see was if it would last.

Receiving another kiss he finally made his way into the kitchen and pulled out the food from his dimension pockets. In the middle of cooking he paused and headed to the window.

Loki smiled at the sight. All of his friends and family had gathered outside. Children and grandchildren. More distant descendants that he had reconnected with. Touching his stomach he thought it would be fitting to announce that he was pregnant tonight. 

And for the first time in his long life it had been entirely unplanned. Fate no longer dictated his life. He looked forward to whatever surprise that would follow. Returning to his cooking he let the chatter and laughter wash over him. 

Because he was genuinely happy. 

_**The End** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Afterwords_
> 
> This has been quite the journey. I have been writing this for over two months and now it has reached its end. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. 
> 
> The inspiration for this story actually comes from the comics. Originally I had only seen a few pages on Pinterest but since I've have read the issues in question. Amazing Spider-Man #503 and #504 is anyone is interested. Basically Loki and Spidey team-up and at one point Spidey says: "You have kids?!" And Loki replies: "Hundreds over the centuries. I'm a Norse god. It's what we do." 
> 
> So, I got the thought. What if the Avengers were Loki's descendants? And from there this story was created. I had looked forward to writing this for a while so I was very excited to finally get to it. Every connection was planned from the beginning and I carefully decided which characters I didn't make his descendant. Like Peter Parker and T'Challa. I felt like it would take away from what made them special. 
> 
> The tags gave me quite a lot of problem. There is always this balance between being upfront about what kind of story it will be and not spoiling anything. That's also why I often go for the explicit rating. It allows me more freedom even though in comparison even my most explicit scenes are fairly mild and I avoid strong language. I also had some problem figuring out how I was supposed to tag the relationships. From the very beginning I knew I wanted Loki and Bucky as a couple. But I also knew that it wouldn't happen until quite a bit into the story. In the same vein I knew that their relationship wouldn't be a big part of the story. So, I compromised. Anyone looking for an explicit Loki/Bucky story won't feel fooled and anyone who don't want that ship at all would still be able to avoid it. 
> 
> I actually originally named this story Descendants but it felt too on the nose. Too obvious. I wanted it to be a reveal. Instead I went with Legacy. It hinted but was still vague. 
> 
> The idea of the gods being indifferent came from a desire to make things a bit more complex than good vs bad. Their actions wasn't because they were bas but because they didn't care one way or another. If that makes sense. That's why Thor was so blasé about everything. Loki's escape and pregnancy. The death of his mortal children. 
> 
> Anyway, a huge thanks to all of you who have followed me on this journey! Every comment, every kudos have motivated me to keep going. Without your support and enjoyment I wouldn't be able to keep the pacing I have for my writing. So, a huge thank you! 
> 
> Don't forget to check out my subreddit r/ikajoverse 
> 
> My next story will be called _Fidelity_ and the first chapter should be up within the next 24 hours. Until next time 🙂


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